


Heritage

by emmaalouise



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Enemies, Full Shift Werewolves, Human/Vampire Relationship, M/M, Slow Burn, Vampires, War, Werewolves, Xiuchen is MAIN pairing bois, for now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-01
Updated: 2019-03-26
Packaged: 2019-10-20 09:06:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 65,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17619524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emmaalouise/pseuds/emmaalouise
Summary: The books that Xiumin read always seemed to describe things as other worldly, ethereal even, but it never occurred to him that you could ever feel that way in real life. Let alone about another person. But there was just something about Chen that made him seem like he came right off of a page. That Xiumin could hold him, feel the weight in his arms, fingertips running down a solid spine over the dips and ridges, yet even then it wouldn't feel real. He desperately wanted Chen to open up to him , to learn every secret blurred between the lines, but the more Xiumin learned about the other the more that was discovered about his own past. Until everything was bursting at the seams and his true heritage was threatening to come out. Teeth and claws and all.





	1. Leaving Home

The nights are cold in England now, summer had loosened her hold on the earth leaving it a rich range of reds and oranges in her honour. The heat was instead embodied within the fallen leaves and flushed cheeks of strangers sharing secret glances. Quiet too, the vibrations of nature had quelled save for a few birds and rustling trees. This sweet town and subsequent village were almost picturesque, likely belonging on a postcard somewhere or in painting long forgotten somewhere in a french museum. It was tucked away from the city quite neatly with only one main road passing through the town centre before continuing onwards. Xiumin's neighbourhood came after three long lefts from the town centre and a sharp, hidden right from said main road, and it was lined with towering trees and a road coated with their rusted leaves. Tamed vines crawled over the walls of a majority of these cottages and houses in a deliberate way and every front yard was filled with the last hurrahs of a summer's bloom as a gentle breeze cradled the lost petals. You'd only really know the cluster of homes were there if you were a local, or walking past on foot and that was the beauty of it. The entrance to this street would blur beyond recognition if any busybody tourist sped along past, it completely disappeared amidst the green hedges lining the main road until it seemingly vanished from existence.

Brown eyes scanned over the room, drinking in every detail as if it were brand new when in reality they'd done the same lazy sweep a thousand times over. The soft glow of car headlights danced across his room while tires slowly crept across the gravel on the road outside; most likely lost along these lonely back roads. Clearly in no hurry the faint hum of lustre floated from corner to corner, tracing every dip and curve of the furniture or walls with idle, curious fingertips. It made Xiumin almost ache to do the same, the chase the pale gleam with his own ghostly hands. To feel the cold floorboards creek beneath bare feet, careful as not to wake anyone, and with arms stretched high. Reaching for that light, limbs bathed in moonlight.

Yet he remained in bed, thick covers encasing his form, unmoving. Breathing in, breathing out, or was that just the flutter of the curtains ebbing like waves? The window was open, latched to be precise but still enough to let the trickling of the water pump for the pond or the melody of the wind chime act as Xiumin's lullaby for the hundredth time. It all seemed perfect, a sliver of time that if possible he'd live in forever. And in reality he had. As far back as he could remember these four walls and the four beyond had protected and encased him. The time before that wasn't important, Xiumin tried to ignore the strange pull in his gut every time he thought about the brief years he must have spent with his true parents before arriving at the Kim's. Not that that made the Kim's any less his real parents though, he still knew a mother's love and a father's care; if anything they were his true parents, after all they were still here with him. The whereabouts or condition of his biological family were completely unknown, even to the Kim's as far as Xiumin was aware, and the feeling still writhing in his gut indicated that maybe it was best to stay that way.

After all why look a gift horse in the mouth? Not that his mother was a horse, or his father, he was an ass sometimes which was probably close enough. But still, there were beautiful memories here and a wonderful childhood of love and laughter, anybody can have a child but it's raising that child to be happy and healthy which is what turns someone into a mother or father.

Time seemed to stand still at little old number three, but not time in its entirety. Just snippets, mere fractions. Almost as if when Xiumin looked to his left he'd see a flicker of Kasey back when she was a puppy tucked happily into his side after defeating two doors and a puppy gate with apparent ease just to be next to him. Opening curtains would signal a chorus of tapping claws and peals of laughter as wet feet smacked the concrete pavement while the sun trickled on down beyond the horizon. Or that downstairs at the kitchen table he'd see himself, years younger, his first alcohol trickling down his throat with a pleasant burn that definitely did not feel pleasant at that time,how strange would it be to watch the grimace form on his own face? The house had not changed a single bit in all these years, but nothing can last forever.

That end was now. Tomorrow everything would change, well, with a weary glance to his left and a rustle of crisp sheets Xiumin realised it was actually today that it would all start. Today was a day of change. These last seven hours before that harsh blaring sounded would be the last he would ever spend sleeping in his childhood room. In ten hours all the boxes would be packed, in eleven the movers would arrive and then that would be that. Not that Xiumin truly hoped that this would be the last time he ever saw this home, he planned on visiting, maybe come home for Christmas. Or maybe for the summer too, Halloween was crucial too, maybe he should just never leave, stay here forever? Breathe in, breathe out. Xiumin knew full and well that he was being scarily overdramatic. He was being ridiculous, and sentimental, and irrational, and plain old silly about all of this. This whole leaving home drama had already happened one year previous when he'd made the first transition from college to university. Choosing to live on campus like almost every other first year as it was close enough to home to be within visiting range, but way too far to consider returning home after every single day. Leaving him with no other option other that to choose the provided accommodation. He'd said goodbye to this house once already and it wasn't even that bad, but now it felt so much more final. It seemed set in stone that this would no longer be his home, he was only twenty and would be in charge of his own property.

The campus at university had just been a home away from home, he hadn't had to worry about sorting out the gas or electric bill or the TV license, he hadn't actually had to go out and actively search for a place to live. His student loan covered the installments of rent in full with a small amount to spare so that was never an issue, Milos would always let him borrow things from his cupboards or his section of the fridge-freezer as long as Xiumin cooked him dinner in the process. Plus, more importantly he hadn't actually been alone, he'd had five roommates. But that in itself was a paradox, to this day the student was still torn between loving the company and resenting it. He wasn't quite an introvert, but there was no other way to describe it, there were just some people he could tolerate and some absolutely not. Though that stemmed from who said people reminded him of; absolutely everyone had experience either being or being victims of those assholes at high school. Living at university meant that whether he liked it or not he still had those roommates to fall back on no matter what, and by the end of the year they all seemed more than happy to allocate for Xiumin on his bad days. From today he'd truly be alone, there'd be no one besides himself. No one to lend him flour like Milos, no one on hand to fix any tech problems like Peter either and being a gym buddy with Casper would be far too difficult now too. In everything he did Xiumin would be alone from now on. So very, very alone.

He'd get a cat, or a dog. Breathe in, breathe out. Today was a happy day.

As much as Xiumin desperately wanted to be refreshed and prepared for the day ahead sleep just continues to evade him, a slippery eel in numb fingers is all it felt like. So once more tired eyes scanned the room around him and everything he'd be leaving behind. Shifting from where they'd been burning a hole in the ceiling Xiumin noticed how the once pure white paint had begun to fade, it was duller now, an almost yellowish tint taking a firm hold. Some was even missing, a couple of cracks in the ceiling and even the wooden body of the house was revealed through peeling skirting boards. The cool, pale blue of the walls still looked the same. The only damage this inhabitants presence had caused was a few missing flakes from blu-tack used for sticking photos or posters up. Well, maybe not the only damage. Next to the heavy wooden door was a faintly shadowed dent in the wall from where he'd driven pale white knuckles into it during a fit of rage. But he had a scar to match with the house's one anyways.

Below that repulsive reminder faint claw marks lingered from when the dogs had been left in his room when he slept, content to slumber there but they knew far better than to do their business in there. Hence the urgency in those scrabbling claws. That was hardly his fault however, it was the dogs. Namely Ozzy, but they were far too cute to seriously blame them. There were no dogs in here tonight, instead they were sulking downstairs. Almost as if they knew exactly what was going on and were decidedly unimpressed with the whole ordeal, turning their black noses up at Xiumin even when he resorted to dirty bribing tactics in the form of chicken. Only the sound of breathing echoed about in the empty room, the house seemingly accompanying his calm inhales and exhales with a grand symphony of creaks paired with the clanking of old pipes.

The little house was the oldest in the street, not a single big renovation had happened since it had been first built. Obviously aside from the kitchen appliances, the oven and the fridge freezer too, the boiler and plumbing, things like that that'd be replaced in any house over enough time. But the thick timber beneath his feet, the four walls around him, and whatever lies beneath him as far as generations of the Kim's were aware -as this house had been passed down from one to another- were the originals. The skeleton of the house remained pretty much untouched, it's what's inside that had changed.

A lot of change had happened for Xiumin too, memories and events that would affect him forever. At sixteen this room had held so many emotions as he came out to his parents, the most overpowering being love and acceptance. He'd had a confusing first kiss from a girl before that, and a still confusing first kiss with a guy after that, Xiumin and relationships never really got any less confusing whether he was straight or gay. There was the first pang of heartbreak paired with the angriest he had ever been, hence the dent in the wall. Choi, the most recent ex boyfriend, had tried to force him into going further than he wanted to by using the excuse that they had been dating for nearly a full year and it was about time they went the whole way. Xiumin had told him no on a multitude of occasions, he'd even tried explaining that physical contact tended to make him uncomfortable but Choi had only taken offence to this and tried to press the issue further with physical force. Insisting that it was impossible to hate sex when you've never had it, solid logic but still rape. It was when he had started yelling that the dogs came in and attacked Choi, who after being bitten hard enough to break the skin promptly left and never returned. It was that night that Xiumin had figured that he had issues with intimacy and physical contact, spending the next three years learning how to accept it first off before moving on to addressing the issue itself. Which brought him to now, a time where he could comfortably hug his friends without feeling suffocated and have a somewhat regular group event with all the roommates over the years. Not that he owed it to any partner to force himself to become comfortable with physical intimacy, or to society in any way to make himself 'normal', it was something that Xiumin wanted to address as a personal discovery into himself.

So intimacy in relationships had now become easier too, milestones that seemed so terrifying now no longer scared him, probably due to the sheer amount of time he spent half naked at the gym in the vicinity of dozens of men. Plus the frequent visits to the gym generally improved his overall life. Because truthfully no one really wants to talk about how much of an impact having low self confidence has in everything you do. It's once little changes start happening that you can really understand the hold it once had on your life, Xiumin no longer walked into a clothes store already defeated and already thinking nothing would fit or look good, now he enjoys putting effort into his appearance instead of using dull clothing to shrink into the background. Obviously he still took time for himself but Xiumin didn't find himself dodging texts from friends as much, he was more outgoing and enjoyed the meals that he ate out with friends. He just started feeling like a different person. Or maybe he'd just grown up a bit after flitting between casual relationships and finding himself gradually along the way. Either way he'd spent so much time growing and changing in this house, maybe it was time to change to something new.

*

Bright light beamed through the glass pane, a dramatic shift from the calm and gentle glow that cascaded across the room last night. This light was harsh, blinding, rude on the eyes but oh so pleasant on bare skin. Xiumin felt like rolling over to simply sun himself for a few moments, basking in the heat in all its glory. However the dogs seemed to have a different idea, already beginning to yowl downstairs as trimmed claws clicked on kitchen tiles. Leaves danced along ground to the every single whim of the breeze above, the sky instead was filled with defiance as birds twirled around each other. Dipping and diving however they pleased, chiming in with every other aspect of nature that had awoken. It was the perfect day for a walk, why bother fighting against tradition? This was probably the last chance he'd get to walk the dogs before leaving, as if Xiumin would pass that chance up. Perhaps if his father was up and about by the time of return they could even have one last meditation session together, maybe squeeze in a quick training session too.

Training with his father had become a constant for Xiumin from a young age, acting both as a bonding act and a work out for the two generations. It had essentially been compulsory in an odd way, but it was doubtful that any overly energetic child would deny the chance to learn some super cool ninja moves. Though as the years passed he believed it became a choice as peace was found in the controlled strength of every movement. Providing a break from the overwhelming stress of being a teenager in the modern world, eventually becoming far less about the supposed cool ninja moves and instead a passion. Obviously with the bonus side effect of always being surprisingly strong for his height, a feature which baffled many, although the same happened for his father who was again surprisingly strong for his age but was far less lean and skinny than Xiumin was. However it was in the recent few years Xiumin had undoubtedly overtaken his father in skill and strength, as well as bulking himself out quite a bit. The student had become the master and all that, not that Xiumin minded in the slightest, once his father had taught him everything physically on his eighteenth birthday the two of them began marksman training as allegedly it was a Kim tradition. Arguably a little strange to do it in this modern age where everything was supposedly safer yet it was seen as tradition and Xiumin was so incredibly grateful to be included despite not being a biological relation. It felt so amazing to say that he was part of a family tradition, it made him feel whole. By nineteen Xiumin was comfortable holding and shooting almost any caliber weapon, and by twenty he was liscenced to carry if he so wished. Obviously living in such a sleepy town he had no desire to, but god did his parents worry about him in the big city where break ins were very common, and especially with him living on his own. Not that any of that phased him, there wasn't any worrying plaguing his mind, he wasn't nervous.

To be honest it was probably best for this morning in particular to just take a relaxing walk with the dogs and skip the training session to give him more time to pack and soak up the last hours in his childhood home. Not point in disturbing his father or tiring himself out for the day in the slightest.

"Mum? Mum these are the last boxes!" The loud shout probably fell on deaf ears but he liked to think she was paying attention as he loaded said boxes into the trunk of his car. The hired movers however were content to just chat between themselves and mostly leave Xiumin to his business. They had already finished putting all his bedroom furniture into the van but were still loading the new furniture they'd recently had delivered and pieced together ready for his new apartment. It was far easier to build the new furniture at his family home with the help of his considerably more experienced father and then have the moving men lug it up into the building. Rather them than him really. "Ah, I'm really sorry for making you wait. I've finished packing now I'm just going to say goodbye to my mother." After speaking the drivers nodded in response as they got into the truck, if they said anything Xiumin could no longer hear as he'd disappeared into the house already.

"Mum where are you? I'm now about to leave." His voice echoed around the house as he called for the woman.

The voice of his mother rang in his ears, "I'm upstairs Minnie, in your room-your old room, sorry." But the sadness laced in her words was an unpleasant melody. The boy walked slowly up the stairs, heavily even. Xiumin knew how sad his departure was making his mother and quite frankly he really didn't want to see her crying. It's not something any child wants to see; it was painful to see any parent crying. He dragged his hand along the wall as he walked down the corridor, fingertips gently brushing the burgundy painted wallpaper. But Xiumin's hands dropped to his sides when he got to the doorway of his old room. A woman stood in the centre with her back to him with the breeze from the open window ruffling her short brown hair. His mother tugged the thick cardigan around her form just a little bit tighter as a particularly strong gust filled the room.

"Mum?" It was more like a plea than anything and it was barely above a whisper but his mother still spun around instantly. Tears dripped from her lashes as the woman desperately tried to blink and wipe them away, she didn't want her son to see her cry but she just couldn't help it.

"Oh screw it, I knew I was going to end up crying. Come here Xiumin!" She cried as she held her arms open towards him. No words were spoken, he just flung himself into his mother's arms.

"I'm gonna miss you Mum, promise I'll call and visit." Xiumin whispered into his mother's neck.

The woman pulled back smiling at her son softly. "I know you will, now go before I start crying again. It's just a pity your father is at work, though he would have been grumbling about the fuss I'm making anyway." The woman choked, voice breaking from the tears she was holding back yet soft laughter trickled out of her mouth despite it all.

"Yeah I know he would be," replying quickly before he further continued on with "he'd be telling you to quit your whimpering and to let the damn boy leave but we all know he'd be crying as well. So. I'll see you soon." Xiumin gently spoke with sadness lacing his own quiet voice this time before turning and walking away, a small smile gracing his features. He was going to miss everything about the little cottage, but he couldn't think about that now. He had to focus on getting settled into his new apartment and town.

*

Finding the apartment was easy enough, the fledgling male had memorised the route incredibly well, that and the fastest route back home in case of literally any tiny emergency possible. Fifth floor, east facing too, the landlord had pinched his cheek for being such a nice boy before saying she'd make use of his muscles and that was pretty much it strangely enough. But Xiumin was thanking every deity he could think of for landing such a great place, or more specifically his father. Apparently his old man had known the previous owners and that shoehorned him into the top shot of who they'd recommend to their landlord as the new tenant. It was far enough away from the city center for the roads to be relatively quiet yet was still close to the bustling town that he would have easy access to an abundance of shops and places to go. It was about a twenty minute drive from the university so it wasn't perfect but still manageable, the actual building definitely wasn't the newest by any means and within the area itself there were a few questionable alleyways but he still loved the neighborhood regardless. For the most part it did look like it came from some old timely photo. The road was lined with flowering trees that was paired with a tucked away and quaint little coffee shop. Black chairs and tables sat outside the shop with a large open window spanning almost the entire street ward facing portion of the shop. A peak inside revealed couples or families seated inside, often chatting, always smiling, and enjoying steaming cups of delicious drinks whilst admiring the general retro come hipster vibe to the place. Although once he had arrived it was very quickly realised that while the petals were beautiful to walk under it was not so much to drive through with them sticking to his windshield constantly. Yet eventually he pulled into the apartment complex's allocated parking: the crookedly sprayed on '5B' and a concrete wall would have to become something he'd have to get used to welcoming him home, that and a similarly crooked 5B sign on his door.

With the knowledge of the movers most likely following closely behind Xiumin quickly hopped out to run to the foyer and flashed just as quick of a smile before claiming his new apartment keys. Just as predicted by the time he returned to the car park the movers were already parked and opening up the truck so after a brief chat to form somewhat of an orderly plan to carry everything up in the hired men followed him up and down the stairs carrying whatever furniture he had decided to bring with him. Well more or less just bringing up anything Xiumin was too lazy to carry, and he was oh so thankful that he decided to hire some help as it was more than two hours before all three of them were finished with the whole lot. And that didn't even include the time it took Xiumin to then actually place everything. The front door opened up into a small almost porch way only about three feet long before opening up into the largely open plan kitchen-diner-living room situation. The best and simplest way to describe his apartment was that it was a standard rectangle with another stuck on top, like a chubby sideways L shape with the lengthiest part being horizontal instead. His kitchen and general living space made up the lengthy part with the sofa, coffee table, and TV to the left of the door with the kitchen area and small dining table to the right. More towards the kitchen side of the flat on the opposite wall to the entrance was the start of the corridor to his modest bedroom and separate bathroom, hence completely the shorter portion of the L shape. Overall it wasn't of amazing size but it was more than enough for a student and as a first apartment.

*

The first week in his new building was fairly uneventful to say the least. It was filled with fairly mundane things contrary to what his mother feared which, of course, consisted of him going out, doing drugs, and dying in some random alley behind a cheap nightclub. Obviously that was not going to happen, at least not until the third week as he often joked. After the first admittedly very late and therefore sleepless night mainly as Xiumin really didn't want the first thing he did to be more unpacking he went around with a very forced element of cheeriness and introduced himself to all of his neighbors. The rest was spent just getting used to the place and area beyond google maps, naturally he'd done his research on the area but it was much better getting the feel of it in person.

The rest of the week was spent getting the last little furnishing for the new apartment like cushions for the sofa and a few extra cosy blankets because after taking one look at that shoddy boiler it was obvious he'd need them. But other than that there really wasn't that much he had done apart from settle in. Yet Xiumin still considered it a fairly successful week, he'd stocked the fridge and the cupboards decently, found a plumber and electrician nearby considering what had been said about the superintendent in the building, as well as found a gym most importantly, set up the home phone and the very crucial WiFi, and paid for the TV licence. On paper he was totally an independent adult now, if you ignored the fact that he called his mother every single few days but it was only because she nagged him to. Totally the only reason. Though the second week was much more exciting, but yet again much to disappoint his mother he was not yet dead on the side of the road. She still had another week to wait. Instead he had had a cat take up residence on his pitiful balcony attached to his bedroom, though he may hate cats he didn't mind the evil creature that much as it kept nesting or excreting birds away from the apartment meaning cleaner windows. However on the Wednesday of that week something that he would never live down occurred.

Xiumin, the fully fledged independent adult that he totally was, though it was not his fault, burned toast so badly that it set the smoke alarms off, which resulted in the entire building being evacuated at three in the morning. Essentially it was the toasters fault, the damn lever had gotten stuck and Xiumin had unfortunately forgotten about the toast altogether meaning that it had been in there long enough to actually catch on fire. To say that the entire building hated him now was an understatement. On top of that even after two full weeks he still couldn't figure out how to work the damn shower and ended up taking ice cold ones every morning and night, though again he was throwing most of the blame at that boiler. Though it wasn't too bad now as he found it rather refreshing and awakening, but when the seasons changed and it shifted into the deep of winter in a few months or so he would definitely change his opinion.

By the end of the month a job had been secured, oddly enough it was at the adorable coffee shop just down the road, the owner had done a very similar thing to that of his landlady and had promised to make good use of those muscles and dimpled smile. It had flexible enough hours and shifts so that it was manageable to work around the classes at university, admittedly on two occasions he did have a shift that started exactly twenty minutes after his class ended. The questionable driving and mad sprint to the shop was just as fun each time he did it on a slow Tuesday afternoon. The staff were incredibly friendly too and enjoyed the so called youth powers he possessed. These powers consisted of the fact that he could carry all the heavy things from the delivery truck without breaking his back or a hip, and his natural skill for getting a smile out of any customer. It paid decently as well. Although truth be told the one thing Xiumin had tying him to his biological parents was a bank account, and honestly with the amount in there he swore he must be the illegitimate child of some king or celebrity. But the last thing he wanted to do was rely on that money, or use any of it really, it felt like a payoff for being given up and abandoned. So he'd much rather get a job anywhere he could and earn his own way through life, despite how that account was the one paying for his rent, but only for now.

Slowly though, over the next few weeks the little shop took over his heart and he fell in love. It truly was an adorable place, as soon as you walked through the old wooden door you just felt so at home. Faint music filled the room on quieter days accompanied by the clinking of spoons on the mugs as customers stirred their drinks. On the busier days loud chatter would fill the room, but all the different happy conversations were comforting in a way. In the month he had been here Xiumin had already seen two engagements, one pregnancy announcement, as well as about a dozen confessions, so all in all he absolutely loved working there. The young male had formed a passion for making and drinking coffee as well. The bitter drink was his new addiction. There were obviously some downsides to working in this shop though. Xiumin had lost count of how many times he had been burned from the hot liquid, or the times he cut his palms on broken mugs. Plus the sheer amount of obnoxious customers ordering the most ridiculous drinks was small but still had the power to ruin his day. Though none of this could change his growing love for the place.

*

On this particular present day it had been somewhat peaceful, there was a sort of post-summer haze in the air that made time itself look like it was being streamed through a slow motion camera; it was a slow and seemingly never ending day. The muggy heat rendered most people half melted blobs blubbering in front of depressingly weak fans, but not Xiumin. He was sweating his perky little ass off at work as the clock hands lazily meandered past 4:00pm. The humidity had been building throughout the day and was now reaching its nastiest period as a lingering heat from midday was still clinging to the pavement and there was no sign of the evening breeze picking up soon. Hence the obvious lack in customers, those that were in the shop had been there for at least an hour and were likely just hiding from the heat, but Xiumin still took it as ample opportunity to literally collapse on the floor in a pile of limbs.

The tiled flooring and wooden cupboards had never felt so good and cool through his sweat soaked uniform before in his entire history at this establishment, it was bliss. So despite the numb bum and pins and needles Xiumin was happily slumped down against the cupboard behind the counter with his head lolled back and legs splayed out in front of him, too busy panting to hear to steps of an approaching customer of the soft ding of the small bell by the counter. However the loud and purposeful cough directed at him was heard crystal clear, and panicked warmth flooded his face instantaneously as eyes flew wide open to find a man around the same age peering down curiously at him with a raised brow. Shit, that was an attractive eyebrow raise.

Shit, that was an attractive face too.

"If you're quite finished with your panting I'd actually like to order." The boy asked cautiously, his deep voice snapping Xiumin out of his daze.

Oh I'm nowhere near done, I'll just switch to panting internally oh sweet Jesus those cheekbones- "Yes! Yes of course! I'm so sorry hang on!" Xiumin blurted out as he rushed to stand. "What would you lik-ah fuh-fudge! Fudge? Okay we're going with fudge." Unfortunately rushing so quickly that the wonderful knowledge of that nasty lip of the counter above him had seemingly been deemed unimportant by his brain thus he ended up hitting his head on the edge of the worktop. With a very audible thud and forcefully enough to rattle the little ornaments placed around the cash register. Laughter could be heard booming from the other and Xiumin retreated back to a crouched position to gently rub the tender spot of the back of his head before slowly and warily standing once more.

"Just a black coffee please, to go." The other wheezed out between fits of laughter, though it died down once he saw the scowling face of the barista. "Are you alright though?"

It seemed genuine but Xiumin was far too embarrassed to give anything other than a short and sharp "I'm fine, thank you," before setting himself the task of making this coffee as quickly as he could. This customer needed to be gone as soon as possible and after glancing over his shoulder he reluctantly flushed out of what he would later convince himself was anger as he saw exactly how irritatingly attractive the other still was. The guy was taller than him, by a few inches or so, messy brown hair paired with cheekbones and jawline both equally defined and equally deadly. There was the matter of this grin on his face too, it was one where lips just seemed to curl mischievously at the corners reminding Xiumin of a Cheshire Cat. He was noticeably built too, not quite on Xiumin's level but it was definitely still worth appreciating with the plain t-shirt he was wearing hugging every inch and the black jeans doing the same.

The task at hand was then completely forgotten about as the fleeting glances turned into an outright stare when the stranger stretched both arms out straight above his head, hiking the pale grey material up in the process to reveal a sliver of skin. Defined muscles stretched and twitched beneath the smooth expanse before the arms returned back to the counter, but unfortunately the shirt remained where it was about two inches further up that in should have been. At this point, the knowledge of how to breathe was also deemed unimportant by his brain. Or how to at least pretend to function like a normal human being. And it seemed the other had coined onto this little compromising fact with a short burst of breathy laughter and a smirk proudly evident across his face after pushing the shirt back down.

Then, because of course the universe had collaborated to make this the worst ten minutes possible, the once forgotten task became impossible to ignore as burning water trickled down from the counter-top to his thigh from the now overflowing mug. In a flurry of movement somewhere between leaping away and clamping a hand on the stinging skin Xiumin managed to switch off the coffee machine. But the rather inconveniently placed wet patch remained.

"Are you going to actually make my coffee or are you just going to check me out?" The boy teased sarcastically, naturally biting his lip after he spoke and looking up at the barista through dark lashes bashfully.

Well damn, not just a pretty face. "Don't flatter yourself, I'm looking at the line of customers behind you, we're getting a huge line and I'm the only one on till today so naturally I'm a bit stressed about it." Xiumin replied, words spilling from his mouth before realisation could set in. Luckily the excuse he had made up on the spot wasn't entirely false, there was an actual line of maybe four or five people behind the other. So with his own smirk at the other's silence he turned around and began making another coffee.

 

For once the grin on his face wasn't forced, Chen just couldn't stop beaming at the man in front of him. God his cheeks actually ached; crescent moons formed on his palms for brief seconds as slender fingers curled and uncurled just to stay calm at the sight of the cafe worker rolling the damp sleeves up of his uniform to his elbows. Such a mundane activity now somehow seemed so attractive. Toned forearms had been exposed in the process, muscles rippling beneath the skin as the other worked away at the drinks. Truth be told, there was an element of surprise settling in due to the fierce and immediate attraction he felt towards the shorter male behind the counter; it wasn't just physical attraction either. The little minx opened his mouth and proved that he was far more than just an undeniably pretty face. Obviously working in the service industry meant that there were certain rules on politeness and how to conduct yourself towards customers but Chen really got the feeling that this person was more than capable of keeping him in line. Colour me interested, this one shows promise.

 

Xiumin purposefully kept his back to the sarcastic boy in an attempt to hide the still burning cheeks for a long as he could but it was likely to be of no use, he knew that the other was fully aware of his interest. It was the longest he had ever spent on making a cup of coffee as before the drink could even be made Xiumin had to clear up the mess produced from the last one. Then attempting to redo arguably the simplest drink they made on fraying nerves took extra time as well. Hopefully the extra time would allow him to regain some semblance of control over his body. Yet it seemed it was all for nothing when Xiumin eventually made himself to turn around with the forced customer service smile as he was met with the smuggest looking person he had ever had the misfortune of coming across.

"Here you are sir, one black coffee to go. That's £2.50 please, card or cash is accepted." Xiumin hissed through gritted teeth, one hand holding out the coffee towards the guy by the lid with the bottom hovering above the counter-top, the other palm open waiting for the money. For a brief second all he received was that smirk and a raised brow. Then it all happened so fast Xiumin didn't even know what was going on. As soon as fingertips brushed his palm to place the change there, electricity ran up his entire arm. The metal seemed super-heated as it burned into his skin and hairs stood on end. It consumed the flesh then coursed throughout his entire body and finally invaded his inner most thoughts. But this wasn't like the movies. This didn't feel like what the movies depicted or books said, this wasn't pleasant tingles and the rest of the world falling away as he gazed lovingly star struck at this stranger. This was pain.

Logically he knew the encounter lasted mere seconds, the exact same motion had been performed hundreds of times with hundreds of customers. State the amount of money required, smile, cash or card, smile, take the money, open the register, trickle the change into the corresponding sections like running water.

Pause.

Wait.

Smile.

But this time the little chink of coins piling together wasn't pleasant. It was no longer like a more metallic sounding tinkling bell, it seemed to loop over and over, morphing and swooping between extremes of pitches. Like the ringing in your ears when the silence starts, or when the pounding in your head gets too much and everything blurs. And everything did blur. And the pounding did become too much. Swooping from a low pitched thrumming to an intense high pitch wailing as time stretched and the burning continued, to such intensity that Xiumin felt like a hole had actually been melted through his palm. That with one glance down he'd see his hand melting like a wax figurine, only with real bones peeking through and not metal wiring. It was almost as if his internal being was too big for the skin encasing it, the expanses of his mind wanting to spill out of his eyes, or like his body was trying to be in two separate places at once. The room seemed to spin and the colours were too bright, the floor suddenly felt like sponge beneath his feet and was that the fire alarm too? The pressure was beginning to become unbearable as well, shudders rolling through his body so violently that it seemingly snapped the connection as the two broke apart. And then it was over, the hands on the clock seemingly went back and everything was reversed. The pain stopped and there was solid and stationary floor once more beneath his feet.

Unfortunately the process of separation as his body briefly convulsed in repulsion against the other had jostled the coffee and resulted with the scalding hot liquid spilling all over Xiumin's hand and forearm. But he barely even registered the pain, the burn ironically not even holding a candle to the flame that had previously consumed his being. Far too busy sharing a look of utter disbelief with the other who was staring straight back, seemingly unafraid and totally oblivious of what ethereal event just occurred. Every instinct inside his body was telling him to run, to run and hide.

What the actual fuck just happened? Two minds with the exact same thought, did he feel it too? Should I say something?

Chen felt his entire body seize up as something unknown clogged his veins. His heart pounded, his heart actually pounded in his chest. Something just clicked somewhere within him, like a switch and suddenly he wanted to make the stranger more than just a quick fuck. For the first time ever he wanted more, just more than that. He just couldn't stop. Stop staring, stop touching, stop instantaneously falling for the other male. It was mesmerising to fall in love for the first time in hundreds of years. The skin underneath his own cold finger tips was so incredibly warm and practically buzzing with wild and untamed life. Chen was simply captivated by the other male's everything.

The way he cocked his hip while he was waiting for the coffee machine to finish, how his fingers drummed along the wooden counter-top, the little pattern that he seemed to press the buttons on the cash register in. And how he looked like he was resisting against humming the melodious tune he was creating. A timid smile, the lingering eyes, a lip between teeth, and the curve of his waist. He wanted to know how his tongue would taste, how the planes between his shoulder blades would feel beneath his palms; if the notches of his spine would catch against his wandering hands and tap out a beautiful symphony.

And know it he would, memorise it, recite it, write it down like it was God speak and learn it like it was the map to heaven. So when the other flinched back he instinctively reached out and latched onto the other arm, before realising that he might have been using a little bit too much strength for a supposed human.

"Sorry!" The two of them chorused in near perfect unison, the other finally releasing Xiumin entirely as they spilled out jumbled excuses of idiotic clumsiness.

"Are you okay? Does it still hurt?" The words seemed rushed and panicked while Xiumin just forced a smiled through a daze of surprise at how concerned the stranger was.

"I'm used to it, it's fine-I'm fine, don't worry." Xiumin answered with softly, attempting to soothe the other. Though the boy's face dropped to something akin to anger or frustration as soon as he admitted that getting burned was a regular occurrence.

A different voice called out now from somewhere at the back of the place. "Another broken cup Xiumin? If it's another burn I'll take over on the counter while you go and take care of it, I think it's time for your break now anyway." It was Xiumin's boss and he sighed in relief at the idea of being able to sit down for a minute. After calling out a brief explanation and thanks he turned back to the matter in front of him.

"Will you come sit with me? Once you've taken care of the burn I mean." The stranger asked sheepishly.

"Yeah sure, of course." Xiumin replied with a little too quickly, regrettably shifting into his customary service mode of agreeing with whatever one said. Despite how the primal urge to get the actual fuck out of the store was still at the front of his mind as another wave of nausea hit him similar to before. He quickly disappeared to the break room and hunted for an instant ice pack from within the medical kit before finally going back into the front of the shop. Scanning the shop the other male was located sitting at a table in the corner by the full length windows that lined the front of the café. Painstakingly slowly he made his way over with his heart in his throat and then sat in the opposite chair, placing the ice pack, a peace offering, and then the injured arm gingerly on the table.

"The uh muffin is for me messing up the coffee so much but like if you don't like muffins you can have something else I'm sorry for assuming you like muffins unless you like muffins in which case I hope I picked the right flavour you look like a kinda blueberry guy and-" Panic, pure panic had begun to set in. Or maybe this is what shock feels like?

"A muffin is fine, blueberry is fine, you don't have to panic so much over a muffin but thank you." The stranger soothed as he gazed at Xiumin in an almost fond manner.

Deep breaths, deep soothing breaths, this guy is not a serial killer, you haven't just been drugged by him so calm down. "I have to ask a favour too, could you um, well, can you squeeze the ice pack? You have to squeeze it to activate it and I've only got one hand which makes it a little hard-"

This time Xiumin was silenced by a hand attempting to covering his mouth but he jerked back out of reach though it still silenced his rambling immediately. "Yes, I'll squish your ice thing, as long as you promise to just chill and stop being so nervous," the hand retracted and the other paused, "okay?" Xiumin could only nod in reply.

Once the other had sufficiently squished the ice pack and played with it for a while which caused Xiumin to falter in surprise at the simplicity of the innocent moment, it almost melted away the strange memory from earlier. Almost. Maybe he truly had just imagined it, maybe he'd exaggerated it and he'd just worked himself too hard at the gym that week and now his body was crashing after all when he attempted to look back on it the whole ordeal seemed fuzzy. But should he say something? The whole thing seemed insane, would this guy believe him or would he just look like a total lunatic sprouting utter nonsense? Maybe it was just best to shrug the whole thing off and never think of it again, until he got home where some intense googling would take place. Although all thoughts and worries quickly left the vicinity as it was placed gently across his hand and arm that still sung with heat. Unable to even fight off the groan of pleasure as the cool ice pack immediately soothed his flesh and his free hand flew to press down on the stranger's hand, forcing the ice pack down harder on his hand. Once the angry pain contained within his wrists and across his knuckles had faded he finally stopped panting and raised his body to face the stranger. Returning to a more normal seated position he opened brown eyes expecting a look of judgement only to be met with the polar opposite. Gone was the smug asshole from before that was full of false charm and instead someone far more human appeared, looking at him in such a different way than he had before. It was almost a look of pure fondness. So Xiumin sucked it up, forced himself to sit still and actually talk to his potential murderer that had just drugged him and or his psychotic episode inducer.

Xiumin surprisingly learned quite a lot in those twenty minutes, the stranger's actual name was Chen, he was twenty much like himself though Xiumin was older by around nine months, and he even went to the same university as Xiumin which was odd as they'd never crossed paths. Chen lived with friends in a shared apartment while taking music, dance, and singing, but mainly specialising in singing. Although, most importantly there was a dark secret about this handsome stranger that contaminated how comfortable Xiumin felt around Chen, he foolishly had a hatred for dogs which he took massive offence to. And then had him immediately promising that he would educate the idiot and correct his misguided ways. To counter his complete disbelief and ridiculing of Chen's opinions Xiumin was then targeted and teased about the accumulation of embarrassing moments that had already occurred between the two of them. Starting from when he was found panting on the floor and then when he slammed his head on the counter all until the dreaded muffin rambling. He had immediately retorted by naming Chen someone in the early stages of becoming a creepy stalker for already having a picture perfect memory, to which with indignation the other cried "I only remembered them because you looked cute when you were all surprised and flustered!"

There had been a horrifically awkward silence after that layered with some painfully nervous laughter, and overall it was just very, very ugly. Even the fellow customers in the immediate vicinity seemed to wince. It could easily be assumed that they were both fully aware that they had been sort of flirting with each other but lightly enough that it could be considered as testing the waters and just being a little friendly. Yet neither wanted to be brave enough to make the first move in case it fell short. Plus Xiumin was still a little petrified of what happened earlier, if it even happened at all.

Chen wanted to scream at the the tension coiling between them both like a pit of snakes, one slithering up his back making his posture rigid, another in his throat making it impossible to swallow, and a few coiling around his arms making biceps strain against his shirt. But the majority had settled in his stomach. Realistically he could just ask the other outright keeping it plain and simple, there were many ways he could mince around it but as long as it contained a few simple words like are, and you, and gay. Or he could just do what he really wanted and push all the items covering the ebony stained oak table, grab the other by the collar and just got to town. Either way one of them would have to do something and do it soon, there was no way Chen was missing his chance with the other if there was one. And there was only one way to find out. Okay, okay, deep breaths, just do something subtle, something simple, nothing major don't scare him off Chen, don't mess this up.

"You uh, did actually look very cute, you know, you just like completely freaked out and-and-" pathetic wisps of laughter escaped him, was it hot in here it seemed hot in here, "-your eyes just went all big and you looked like you'd seen a ghost. So yeah, cute."

"You can't look cute while being scared you idiot, doesn't work like that." Xiumin replied, irritated by Chen's words. He was not cute, there was nothing cute about being caught for slacking on the job. If his boss happened to overhear Chen the word cute would definitely not be used, maybe fired, or sacked instead?

"You did, you looked very cute, well like, you still uh, um look cute now though." Chen muttered quietly, though he had an unmistakable feeling that Xiumin was flirting with him but a part of him was worried that saying something like this might make him uncomfortable. But the albeit flawed logic was that he'd only become really uncomfortable if he was straight, if he wasn't he'd either flirt back or start blushing. Hopefully. It wasn't particularly good logic but Xiumin was driving him absolutely insane so Chen just had to wait and see what the reaction was.

Um, what? If Xiumin thought there was a awkward silence before it had nothing on the one enveloping them now, it felt like there was so much blood in his face that the pressure rendered him unable to speak. His cheeks were on fire. He knew they'd be skirting around each other for a while and had been deliberating how to make the first move himself because well fuck it he's a cute murderer but he was decidedly unready for the other to do so. Perhaps seconds perhaps moments had gone by as he sat there in shocked silence while lost in his own confused thoughts before everything just become too much and his thoughts started to violently burst free from the confines of his mind.

"Why on earth do you just do things to me?!"

Immediately realisation set in and he plummeted back down to reality as his head whipped back up in shock from when he had slumped down before with an excuse ready on the tip of his tongue and his muscles coiled ready to flee but instead found Chen staring at him, mouth hanging open with pink cheeks. Breathy chuckles escaping his mouth.

"Well in answer to your question, maybe you're so affected because you might perhaps like this guy?" Chen said playfully, grinning at Xiumin and the smile only got wider when the smaller male started stuttering. Today was definitely the best day he'd had in centuries, it appeared that Xiumin was both into guys and clearly into him. God that felt so good to cement, relief washing over him like a cool breeze but it soon turned into a sharp bitter wind as a loud and unpleasant screeching slashed through all his pleasant thoughts.

Xiumin stood abruptly causing the metal chair to scrape across the worn flooring, the ice pack falling to the floor with a sickly wet smacking sound. "My shift uh, it's uh-my break, its over, I have to go- to get back to work- ah haha oops I'm already at work stupid Xiumin I mean my shift I have to get back to start my next shift so um-sorry-bye." He all but wheezed as he shuffled backwards across the store, bumping into countless tables and customers in his haste until he was back behind the counter once more. His coworker Lin who had also appeared to start her shift just looked at him with a knowing face and quietly told him he could go a sort the storage room instead of working the till and honestly Xiumin swore he could kiss the woman after she said that.

The next hour was spent slowly stacking shelves, often with the wrong products as his mind was currently elsewhere. But what else could he do? The scene from earlier just kept replaying in his head but the tone of Chen's voice kept morphing and Xiumin couldn't remember if he'd said those words in a teasing way, maybe implying that he was happy Xiumin liked him or that the feeling was mutual. Or if he'd said it flatly, with a little disgust and discomfort thrown in. Although there was an ever hopeful yet disastrously quiet voice in the back of his mind whispering that he knew Chen wasn't straight, the guy had been flirting with him all day. But now the worries of what if Chen liked him back started to occupy his mind.

Will we start dating? What if that thing from earlier happens again? Will I have to tell him about why I don't like being close all the time? Oh god if I dated him we'll end up kissing and maybe more- Xiumin blushed as soon as he actually paused and thought about what would happen when the two of them started getting hot and heavy and decided to definitely leave that thought alone for now.

Seeing that there was nothing left to sort through he grudgingly left the store room and peeked around the door to see if the male causing Xiumin all these problems had left yet. Chen seemed long gone; a feeling of something filled him, disappointment perhaps? Did he actually want to see Chen again? But he shook it off and glanced to the clock with surprise filling him now instead. It was 6:15pm, they had closed 15 minutes ago, seeing as Lin had already left and it was a Thursday it was his turn to lock up. So with nothing else to do he started wiping down the tables and carrying the empty mugs back to the kitchen to place them in the huge dish washer. With it completely full and all the tables clear of any cutlery or other tableware the button was pressed and he wearily pulled on the lever to start the machine working. Leaving him to finish spraying and wiping the surfaces down and then to start sweeping everything up, which didn't take him long at all. Therefore he had nothing else left to do except finally face the innocuous looking table in the corner. The ice pack had been picked up from the floor and placed back on the table, a slight puddle forming around the object. Adjacent to the little puddle was a few napkins that had begun soaking up some of the water, one of them stained a watery black. A stain that he couldn't place but he scooped up the soggy mess and carried on with his day, it still bothered him, the stain looks like it had once been writing, maybe numbers, he hoped someone hadn't written something important down and then forgotten it. But it was long gone now, and they could hardly be that important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Readers, like welcome to my fic I suppose, thank you for reading it! This one was a bit of a beast but it's generally unavoidable, though now all the boring-ish scene setting and background info is all done and set up we can start discovering whats really gonna happen between these two! I'm really excited for you guys to see the upcoming chapters! I'll be posting an update weekly and my word count normally hits about 6000-7000k+ so look forward to that! This is first and foremost a XiuChen fic because I love the two of them together, I wasn't sure about making it OT12 but it didn't feel right if I didn't include everyone I guess, and don't worry the tags aren't misleading or wrong! Alllll of that stuff will happen it's just in later chapters so stick with me and you'll get to witness this helter skelter of plot twists lmao! Comments and kudos are always very much appreciated! See you next week!


	2. A Coincidence?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It really left a bitter taste in Xiumin's mouth that he never saw Chen again, for the briefest moment he'd seriously been daydreaming about what it would be like to pursue the other. But, if he never saw that irritatingly handsome face again then there was no way it could happen. Although part of him really just wanted to bump into the other and catch him off guard, to say some really devastating and smug line and really show him who was boss. But not today, god no not today, and god no not now,. Xiumin really, really wasn't ready for it today.

Despite how the other constantly plagued Xiumin's mind Chen never quite materialised in the physical realm; just floated around the edges of his psyche like a haunting presence. It left him at a total loss. This had never really happened before, without being cheesy no one had ever left such an impression on him. Never before did he instantly turn as soon as a deep voice resonated from the doorway, or pause to look when someone with a similar cologne breezed past either. Eyes would widen until he could pinpoint the mystery speaker or whoever's booming laughter filled the cafe that reminded him so much of when Chen would burst out with that damn cackle while the two of them talked. But still it was never who he wanted, just a random stranger and not Chen. And it didn't seem like that was about to change as within the blink of an eye it had now been two weeks and Chen still hadn't made an appearance in any form. The days passed slowly in the muggy heat as time herself seemed to melt, turning into a substance like slow moving lava. It consumed the days in an endless warmth, making it feel like every day was being spent wading about uselessly, not achieving anything just floating through the hours without purpose. Maybe Xiumin really had totally and utterly screwed his chances by turning tail and pegging it. Maybe Chen was just a hallucination from that weird thing that happened at the counter, after all google deemed it most likely that it was caused from coming down from some acid trip or an aneurysm. Or maybe Chen was real and had just never meant any of it. Either way he'd just have to get on with it all, swing back into the mundanity of his routines.

*

The soft sheets rustled in the emptiness of a cold morning. The washing machine had turned on automatically, the boiler too, resulting in a sporadic rattling vibration sounding from the kitchen and a dull hum littered with brief clunks from within the linen cupboard. Birds sounded from outside and the roads slowly began filling with the crunch of rubber on gravel. It was an early morning symphony, and he listened with eyes glued to a still foreign feeling white ceiling. Rolling over Xiumin wearily glanced at the clock and saw the angry little red numbers light up the surface of a wooden bedside table. Casting a set of keys, a pair of headphones, and the sole ring he wore in an almost sunset glow. It was six thirty nine in the morning, on a Friday, he was awake at six thirty nine on a Friday. The morning shift at work began nine o'clock and he had classes at quarter past one, leaving him just enough time to shower and eat once the shift finished at twelve on the dot but not leaving him time for anything else. Resulting in there being about two full hours to get everything done before he'd have to be on route to the cafe as he probably wouldn't be back until six in the evening and by then it would likely be too late.

Therefore much to his own annoyance the thick duvet had to be painfully inched down his topless form with great reluctance, as there was no way he wanted to rip it away all at once. No chance of that in this early morning cold, it'd warm up as the day trickled on but for now as autumn set in the mornings were often freezing. But the slow chill that encased his body was just as bitter as if he had ripped the band aid off in one, even seeping through the thick cotton of old sweatpants that hung low on his hips. Most of the duvet of the forever half empty double bed was now bunched at the foot of the bed and the sweatpants soon joined them, followed by the plain black boxers as well. Bare feet then padded across the cold tiled floor into the en suite shower room to turn the shower on, and a very manly shriek escaped his mouth as the harsh initial chill of the water began to seep into his bones. He washed quickly, unable to bear the cold much longer so he furiously scrubbed at his scalp with some floral scented shampoo. Still irritated that he had bought completely the wrong brand in a half awake daze when he did this exact routine last week of getting up early to run errands, but it did remind him of the garden they had back home so it wasn't all bad. Largely he just desired to escape the barely lukewarm spray that was still assaulting his body as hastily as he could, practically fighting off shudders as the suds trailed down his body until they eventually pooled at his feet. Little to no warmth was then provided by the towel he wrapped himself in so the feeble material was quickly swapped for much thicker actual clothes, bracing himself for the early morning chill. And after traveling down the corridor to the actual bathroom he quickly peed and took care of general hygiene, debating whether or not to shave as he brushed his teeth, in the end he voted no and left the apartment. Looking a little scruffier than he would have liked but being borderline half awake and holding a blade was decidedly not a good idea.

The day would begin with the grocery store, despite how eerie the place felt when it was this abandoned. It was always strange how somewhere so normal could become so frightening the minute it was void of all life. An empty child's playground, a long forgotten and overgrown theme park, walking the dimly lit corridors of a school after closing, or roaming the halls of a hotel in the ugly hours after midnight. Or a supermarket. With only the occasional creaking of a wheel on a trolley or rustling of  one of the few customers plucking something from the shelves, only the hum of neon signs resonating in such an empty space. But with the cupboards and fridge worryingly empty there was no other choice, he couldn't survive on frozen food for much longer so it was a much needed trip in order to restock. The last couple of times he'd visited home his mother had begun teaching him how to cook from scratch to prevent him from living off of pot noodles so he fully planned on utilising those new and improved skills.

However despite how greatly he had progressed that damn toaster still deemed that he wanted nothing but charcoal for breakfast no matter what he did, so for the past few days he'd resorted to putting his bread under the grill in the mornings to prevent the horrid smell filtering about the apartment. Therefore the next stop would be a general or hardware store for a new toaster because he refused to admit it was his fault that it burnt so often. Xiumin also needed light bulbs as well, wanting to replace those in the apartment with more energy efficient ones and perhaps ones with a higher wattage to brighten up the kitchen as the evenings started drawing in. The opposite was needed in his bedroom, the fixtures that came with the apartment made him feel like he was sleeping and showering in a hospital room with how florescent the lights were. They were so bright and angry in the mornings that he winced every time the switch was turned on with a fumbling hand. Plus a few other things were needed to make the place feel a little more homely and warm with the winter months now coming.

And so the day began with some questionable driving on the short journey to the closest supermarket, sighing from behind the steering wheel as he looked up through bleary eyes at the double doors of the store before finally getting out. The obnoxious neon sign illuminated everything around it in a strange glow as he shuffled inside, already irritated by the false cheer of the tinkling music and the general assault of all the offers, the buy one get one free's, and the 'Wow Such Amazing Deals!'. By now he'd watched countless TV programmes on how advertisers lure you in and make you spend more money on the deals because as humans we get a hit of dopamine the second we think they've outsmarted 'the man'. So he knew what false marketing to avoid when shopping and made a conscious effort to strictly only buy things written on his list, that way he'd spend far less.

It was about twenty minutes later that his willpower began to waver when he passed a stand displaying hot chocolate and all the trimmings in preparation for the coming winter. There were these ridiculous mugs that were practically bowls lining the bottom shelf of the stand, then for the next two came regular mugs followed by shelves of varying flavours of hot chocolate. There was even miniature whisks and chocolate sprinkle shakers too. But the one thing that had Xiumin pausing to stare at the Christmas themed monstrosity -it was October for Christ sake- were the piled bags of giant marshmallows. The name of the brand always escaped him but the jingle always got stuck in his head of this animated marshmallow dancing about singing "Marshmallows! Marshmallows!" And without even realising it he'd begun doing the same as he deliberated on his next purchase. They would do very little harm and overall it'd be a nice, sweet treat over the winter. Maybe Xiumin should let 'the man' win for once, just to keep things interesting.

Speaking of interesting.

"Are you gonna buy those or are you just gonna stand there and continue to be cute? Because honestly I like the second option more." Chen stated firmly, completely startling Xiumin who spun around in shock.

_What- Who- fuck?_

No words came from the gaping open mouth for at least a good minute as it sunk in who exactly was standing there looking particularly smug in front of him. It was Chen. Laying eyes on him after all these weeks still sparked the same feelings that it had the first time they met, but after recovering from the cheesy line Xiumin promptly fought to ignore his beating heart and instead forced a scowl to overtake his features. How can Chen just waltz up to him after leaving him hanging for all this time with such a stupid line, not an apology or even a flimsy excuse in sight.

"Quite frankly I don't care what you do and don't like thank you very much," placing the soft treats back into place he turned to fix the other with a sharp glare, "means nothing to me, as do you after coming in all charming and making me like you then going total ghost for weeks." Snakes couldn't even hiss that venomously and Xiumin was unaware he possessed the skill himself as he stormed off down the next isle. But if the rapid footsteps where anything to go by it was doubtful he'd be alone for long.

With a mouth left wide in agape Chen stared at the retreating figure at a total loss. All he'd planned to do was face Xiumin dead on and make him squirm, after all there's nothing more awkward than being confronted by someone you had been avoiding and Xiumin completely looked like the type that would never be deliberately horrible. So, Chen wanted to force him into the most painful situation possible, he hadn't been expecting for the tables to be turned on him however.  _Why on earth is Xiumin so damn angry with me?_ In all fairness it should be the other way around, after all Chen had in fact sucked it up and made the first move by writing his phone number on a somewhat used napkin, labeling it 'for Xiumin, from Chen' and leaving it right next to their mugs and the ice pack. However it was Xiumin that had never called, Xiumin had essentially rejected Chen and displayed his total lack of interest in seeing him again.

An entire week had passed while he was still hopeful, it was as slow as sweet honey in a hot haze while he waited and hoped the other would call but that overly chirpy default ringtone never filled the silence. And when it did, when any unknown number flashed up on the screen hope instantly consumed him but it was always short lived. It was never Xiumin, just some asshole sales rep. Chen had made a promise to himself that he would not return to that little coffee shop until there was progress between the two of them, because there was not point in going back unless it was for Xiumin. Then the second week passed, without any hope this time. It stung when the other didn't call, it stung even more being rejected face to face in a random supermarket but after being around for as long as he had Chen had felt that bitter taste of rejection time and time again, it was just odd feeling it as he stared down an isle filled with cereals and breakfast bars. It was even stranger still that without any logical reason he found himself following and searching after Xiumin till he spotted the shorter male.

Xiumin had managed to escape all the way into the frozen section on the other side of the store before Chen had caught up with him, a false sense of security had overtaken him only seconds before that he'd lost the jerk but sadly he was mistaken. An outstretched arm that had been briefly redacted to engage the good old sweater paw to protect already cold fingers from the horror of frozen peas was snatched. Plucked from it's noble quest as his entire body spun and followed the momentum.

"What the hell?! Why did you storm off, why are you mad at me?" Chen shouted, eyes flitting over Xiumin's face in disbelief before flinging the arm into the other's chest.

He met that gaze without hesitation, feeling mocked by Chen's surprise. "Why are you mad at me!?" Xiumin shouted right back, stepping closer to the other so he could voice the words directly at the other's face. God it was colder in the freezer isle than usual, or was it just the animosity between the two of them actually becoming palpable? Either way neither of them said anything for a moment, both too embarrassed by the reason for their feelings.

"You never called back."

"You never came back."

The two boys spoke in unison but heard the words from each other's mouths clear as day. Once more neither of them said anything for a moment as silence swallowed them whole, shocked by what the other had said. A chill began to snake around their ankles and almost again in unison both men shifted their weight from side to side to get at least some blood to their frozen limbs.

"What do you mean I never called you? I don't have your number you idiot was I supposed to just sit by my phone and try millions of combinations? You're cute but you're not that cute." Xiumin said snarkily, punctuating the last diss with a head to toe scan and a patronizing shake of his head.

"Oh maybe you are just a pretty face then! Can you not fucking read? They're these funny little things called numbers, you draw them like this-" pausing to trace out a few messily in the condensation of the freezer door caused by Xiumin standing there with it open, "-see? Nice and easy! Oh don't give me that look, you must clearly not know what they are or you'd have noticed that I wrote my number down on a napkin and left it on the table!" Chen retorted, not appreciating the sass at all, and he wasn't sure how but he was fairly certain he just got sassed by having a freezer door slammed in his face as well. But all bets were off when the other started laughing like a total madman.

"You mean on the napkin next to the ice pack?" Xiumin paused, waiting for the other to catch on.

"Yes, are we just repeating what the other says now? Wow what a fun game-"

"Hm, an ice pack huh? Oh what a coincidence, we're in the freezer isle, maybe I can give you a live demonstration then!" Xiumin announced, a few heads down the isle turning to look at him questionably before they returned to the contents of their trolleys and wheeled away. "Hey Chen, question, if I take this ice cream out of the freezer, what happens to it?"

 _Oh for fuck sake._ Chen did not like being spoken to like a child, but after it finally clicked he understood. And he deserved it. "It melts." He mumbled feebly, not wanting to make eye contact.

"Ding ding! Right answer! So when the ice pack melted, I wonder, did the absorbent napkin absorb the water? Who would have thought! What a-"

Chen groaned loudly, a horrid sense of regret and frustration coursing through him. "Please just stop. I get it, I'm sorry okay? Can we just try this thing again?"

The answer nearly leapt right out of Xiumin's throat but he held back, hesitating slightly. Looking at it from the other's point of view he could understand why he was annoyed, and probably why he didn't come back to the store. "You just didn't come because I didn't call, right?" Xiumin added weakly.

"Yeah!" Chen couldn't hide how eager his reply was, "Um, I mean yes, yes, that's the only reason I swear, had I put two and two together sooner about- about the ice pack I would have been back there right away to literally spell out that I was interested in you and not just playing around." Of course he was interested! How on earth could he not be, even bundled up and unshaven at stupid o'clock the other was still just as handsome as ever. And he had unquestionably proved Chen's suspicion that the protocols of customer service were the only thing holding him back from dealing blow after blow to the taller's ego.

"Okay good, great, you're interested, that's uh great news, that's that's-"

"Great?" There was a slight teasing lilt in his voice, Chen just hoped it came off more as charming rather than condescending. One complaint he'd had many times over the last millennia was that he just didn't have a face for being sincere, it always came off as sarcastic. So more often than not he just had to almost dramatize his actions, deliberately make himself vulnerable. You know, to appear 'human' and all that. "You would have called if you'd had my number, right?-"

"-No doubt, I would have phoned you that night." Something bloomed within Xiumin as the other grinned at him while placing a tentative hand on a narrow waist that gave a reassuring squeeze. It flowed out from his chest and all the way to his icy fingertips.

Xiumin could probably have convinced someone that the sky was purple with that amount of genuine honesty that was palpable in that oh so earnest voice. It was adorable. And all Chen could do was smile as the two of them walked away together, chatting about anything that came to mind.

*

 _But strangely they couldn't hear the exclamation of shock from a woman somewhere behind them in the isle. No one could quite believe it, after all it was just so_ **_odd_ ** _,_ **** _and baffling, so even more people began crowding round to stare into the freezer. A rising mumble thrummed from the cluster with confusion evident in their hesitant tone. It just had to be that the machines were having a funny, didn't it? Because what else could explain it?_

 _The hefty doors were glued into their frame, sealing the now fully frozen contents within it; an arctic plume slithered out hopelessly from mere millimeter gaps caused by customers tugging on the handle. It bit into bare ankles before prowling onward, searching for something, someone, but the only thing it would find would be an expanse of dated vinyl tiles. When the door was finally pried open moments later it became clear that something was truly off, to begin with the staff had thought that someone had left the door open for a while which caused liquid to drip down on and around the door frame therefore meaning it froze when it was eventually shut again. However a thick layer of frost had glued every single item down to the shelves, and tiny icicles clung to any surface edge possible too, their fragile claws feebly and eerily all pointing in the exact same direction with some now seeming to grow and protrude even further still.  Searching, or perhaps hunting. It was as if some giant magnet had been placed to the left side of the door, but then that didn't explain why the tips of the icicles were just  so very sharp. One poor shopper discovering that the hard way as a single scarlet drop fell to the floor. So it became apparent that something else must be to blame. How_ **_odd_ ** _._

*

It was only when the two of them came to check out together that their conversation faltered, but that was down to social protocol more than anything. You just went quiet when it came to your items being scanned, it was rude to speak, what if the nice check out lady wanted a conversation. Besides Xiumin shouldn't be selfish or dismiss this moment of peace as it finally gave him a chance to process everything. The two of them had been talking without pause from the moment they cleared up the whole phone number fiasco. It had even lasted around the entire store as they flitted down nearly every isle to check items off his shopping list and pluck said items from the shelves. They'd then lined up together for Christ sake and now that he'd payed for his shopping in admittedly a bit of a blur Xiumin was even stood silently waiting for Chen to pay for his.

It became apparent that there was a problem occurring when Xiumin was stood deliberating over two different toasters with Chen still by his side. They'd gone to the general store together, because why not, Chen was even holding his packs of light bulbs so delicately that it was borderline cute for some very strange reason. Though thankfully now in a much steadier grip than when he first heard about Xiumin's reasoning for buying a new toaster after the mayhem the last one had caused. The idiot had nearly laughed himself into a fit. For the most part now the two walked in relative silence, only having brief snippets of conversation here and there but it was comfortable. Easy. It was even easy to say goodbye, as during their wandering about the store they'd properly traded numbers and had promised that they'd actually text now, there had even been hints of another date threaded subtly throughout their conversation. Xiumin spent the better half of his remaining time thinking about it and what was blossoming between the two of them, would that be their first date together? If it was then what did that make this morning, just a friendly accidental meeting? He wasn't a fan of turning first dates into some be all end all event, people couldn't be themselves at fancy dinners, he'd much rather have a first date somewhere real so he'd get an actual taste of what the other was like. But he couldn't be thinking about it now as he dashed beneath flowering trees wondering if the apartment door had been locked as he left; he was already late for work as it was.

*

Much to his surprise it was about five o'clock when Xiumin saw Chen again that very same day. The evening breeze was much fiercer today, enough to dull the last remnants of summer's heat meaning that business was getting much slower. A pleasant kind of slow though, now small talk could be exchanged with their regulars and those in the kitchen got to experiment with new sweet treats now that they weren't having to make batch after batch of their best sellers to keep up with the demand of them. Plus it became apparent that the store changed almost seasonally, and overnight in this case too. Back in the summer maybe July early August when he'd first moved and started working there everything was almost a pastel colour. The table cloths were baby pink or yellow, and there were these little white mini wooden crates painted with flowers on each table that held the bowls of different sugars. The tie on white chair cushions matched whatever colour the table cloth was and there were bright bunches of flowers randomly dotted about the store. Instead now all the tablecloths and cushions were a rich rusty orange, a pale chocolate, or in some cases instead both the table and wooden chairs were left uncovered to reveal the dark wood beneath, the sugars and sweeteners now sat in a line of small mason jars atop the table too. But the biggest change was that the sheet stickers that lined the bottom corners of their large front windows switched from dainty and colourful flowers to falling crisp leaves. It all felt a little early to be getting this autumn crazy but it was nearing the end of September. So it was probably just as much of a surprise for Chen when he walked into the store as it was for Xiumin, hence why instead of just walking up to the counter the other just paused and stared for a moment in awe.

Although Xiumin wasn't complaining about having a good few seconds to just check the other out. This was in fact the live version of what had been plaguing his thoughts all day in varying forms and he'd be damned if he didn't just soak the view in after all. It was still strange and almost foreign feeling being this fiercely attracted to someone so early on, hell it didn't even happen with Choi after almost a year so it was really throwing Xiumin off kilter. Obviously he'd experienced what just attracted was and what it therefore usually led to now that he was out and proud and definitely experimenting with the dark side as some would say, but that didn't fit what he was currently feeling either. Although considering the avenues that some of his daydreams plummeted down without abandon it was a possibility. But now was definitely not the time for his thoughts to flicker back to those scenarios considering how many times he'd already been scolded for getting distracted while at work, so whatever Chen was here for it'd have to be quick.

"Hello!" Chen beamed as he spoke, "Again-" briefly pausing as the two let out breathy chuckles, "Is there any chance you can take a break real quick? I just wanted to grab you and quickly ask you something?"

Well there goes that little pipe dream of this being a flying visit. Quickly throwing a glance over his shoulder to discover where his boss was lurking and considering that Xiumin couldn't spot him it was likely that the grumpy ass was tucked away in the office giving him a few minutes to talk to Chen at most. "I've already had my break for today, can you not do it here? There's no one behind you in the queue so I've got a minute or two to talk."

"If there's no one to serve are you sure you can't step out for just a second?" Chen was aware he was pushing his luck but he really didn't want to have to rush it and just blurt it out over a counter top.

"Unfortunately that's not quite how it works," Xiumin had the distinct feeling that Chen hadn't worked in the service industry before, "It's only me on shift today so I have to stay here."

"I'll wait till it quietens down and then I'll come talk to you, but can I have a latte please while I'm up here?" Chen finally decided, slightly disappointed that he'd have to wait but it would be worth it. If the other said yes. That was the real reason as to why he came back so soon after all, it wasn't as if he was displeased at seeing the other he was glad of any opportunity to spend time together after spending weeks thinking he'd never cross paths with Xiumin again. It just suddenly struck a chord after the two had separated that morning that Chen could just not be bothered to wait and fuss and fret, to generally dance around the issue until one of them finally spat it out like a stream of rainbow vomit. He wanted Xiumin now. "Might be a nice idea if you don't burn yourself again though, but feel free to check me out again like last time because we both know you were. I saw right through that smooth little lie." Chen called out to the barista's turned back.

"Oh shut it you idiot I'm at work!" Xiumin hissed, slamming down the small metal jug of milk he'd just finished heating and frothing to throw a glare over his shoulder. "Why are you so damn insufferable?" He muttered while wiping down the machine, unsure of whether his question was rhetoric or not but before Chen even got the chance to fight back a third voice stunned them both.

"Xiumin! How dare you speak like that to a customer!" A middle aged man screeched from the doorway of the kitchen before striding closer, "I'm so sorry about this I've no idea what's wrong with him today-"

"Wait! It's my fault! Really! It is honestly my fault! We know each other, from- from outside of work, and I-I was just winding him up a little, we both know he'd never speak to a regular customer like that," pausing while the manager visibly weighed out the situation and looked between the two younger men who were nodding furiously in reply. "Truthfully it's my fault, and if you don't believe me I'll just keep saying it until you do so I swear I swear, my fault my fault totally my fault-" Hoping his voice sounded as earnest as his intentions were Chen insisted once more.

"That's not even remotely necessary, so please just stop that alread- I said stop I believe you!" He snapped, before taking a deep and supposedly calming breath. "Be that as it may, Xiumin still represents this company and should treat all paying customers with respect and be well mannered throughout every interaction," the man addressed Chen this time before turning to his employee more privately and whispering, "I trust that you would never speak to a customer like that Xiumin don't worry, and I can appreciate you not completely losing your temper despite how he probably deserved it for annoying you at work. Don't let it become a regular thing."

"Yes sir, don't you worry about that, thank you though," Xiumin grinned falsely as he spoke, until his boss's back was turned once more. Then instead he began glowering at Chen. "So sorry sir, you'll have to forgive my poor manners, you see it's just because you're such a colossal twat and that I hate you, so much."

"Xiumin I am so sorry, I am so so-"

"Save it, you've already done the damage, thank you for jumping in though that probably saved me from a serious scolding-"

"I'm still so sorry, really, I shouldn't take so much joy in pushing your buttons to get a reaction." A hand rubbed self consciously along the back of his neck, sheepish in nature.

"Exactly you little sadist, leave me'n'my buttons alone."

Eyebrows rose in surprise at that comment, "My what an interesting word choice for someone so cute?" He couldn't help but purr, fulling understanding how so many compared him to the smiling cat from that funny new book.  _Wait it's not new anymore it is? Christ how old is that book? Shit that was a hundred odd years ago, is that Viking? No not Viking, vi, vike, vic, ah Victorian! God I need to take literature again sometime soon or watch the news and keep up._

"I think it's a uh, perfectly normal, word," Xiumin micro-paused between nearly every damn syllable, pausing heavily before finally deciding that perfectly was the best option to hopefully derail this oncoming two and fro, "Just a harmless and regular word."  _Crap I've definitely overdone it now._

"Oh really, do you always describe words as if they're innocent fluffy bunnies or just the kinky ones?"

"I've no idea what you're talking about."  _Mission abort, mission abort, abandon ship._

"Don't worry, I'll save my questions for later, and if you still want to play dumb I'll just have to show you instead, or have you show me because who knows what hides beneath that cute exterior now, just so very many possibilities." And with that Chen practically bounded to the closest table he could find, plonked himself down sitting almost parallel to Xiumin. And just grinned. The cat most definitely got the cream if you counted this delicious latte.

Meanwhile Xiumin had to stand there biting his tongue and fighting to control the flame engulfing his face as the elderly gentleman approached the counter. He'd just stepped into the store meaning he thankfully had not bore witness to their questionable exchange so with no other choice a disgusting fake customer service smile was painted on and the uphill battle till closing continued.

*

For around the next hour Chen sat in the little shop at that table adjacent to the counter, occasionally chatting with Xiumin but just little snippets as it seemed the ever diligent barista didn't sit still for more than a few moments. While it was endearing how hard the other worked it did mean that boredom set in quite quickly now that his second drink was gone, caffeine did very little for someone like him but the taste was still pleasant. Thoughts did wander at some points but just as he promised earlier those would be saved for another time, instead the time was passed by raiding the napkin holder on the table and covering them in little doodles. Pausing between each masterpiece to show off his artwork, naturally. It started off with the basics, like any great artist. So once he had done a full round of stick men come caricatures of the other patrons in the restaurant and unfortunately the lady with the striking resemblance to her dog had spotted her drawing and was far less than pleased but it made Xiumin laugh so it was worth the tut of disapproval. Then moving onto whatever pleased his fancy really. There were a few of some evil looking beastly dogs versus a series of angelic little kitties, even his attempt as Xiumin as a cat that turned out more frightening than the dogs to be honest. He wrote yes or no questions, jokes, an odd compliment (not referencing the frequency but the contents, it was the weird creepy serial killer-esque ones that got the most animated reactions) and it was all going swimmingly until the napkins ran out.

Sighing in defeat Chen borderline started sulking until he felt the air shift behind him and a hesitant tapping danced out on his left shoulder, these two old ladies were grinning with an alarming lack of teeth and the mother and daughter pair next to them were grinning also.  _I think the four year old has more teeth than those two combined, Jesus._ Yet the smile forming on his own face was not one he could win against, as all four women each had a handful of napkins, all vigorously being waved in his direction. After thanking the women and collecting his bounty Chen turned in his seat, the old wood creaking with his movement, and found Xiumin's smile just as wide as his own was. Though it could have just been an overactive imagination but in the corner of his eye he swore that a glimpse of the manager smiling as well appeared. Looking just as amused by their antics as about half the people inside the store. And so their repartee continued on for a while longer, by this point a small part of him was just itching to ask Xiumin out on a date via napkin but while it was actually quite a sweet idea there was something more official about asking it face to face. A napkin just seemed like a very basic version of just texting it to him and that would be a total cop out. So he'd wait, and do it properly. The store closed at around 6:30 anyways, although like most places people were more than welcome to mill around for longer. And linger they did on this particular Thursday evening, but after dwelling on it for a moment it seemed that a majority of those unwanted witnesses were watching himself and Xiumin interact. Perhaps they just wanted to see it through until the end, until something more exciting than napkin flirting happened. Chen just couldn't disappoint them, he just couldn't.  
  


Xiumin immediately stopped fussing over the mugs stacked atop the drink machine the second he heard heavy footsteps coming towards the counter, they sounded far too purposeful and loud to be that of the doddering old man asking for yet more milk so chances were that it was someone new. Perhaps something more exciting that arranging it so that all the mug handles faced the exact same way in every row, though it wouldn't be a difficult task to beat that. So after spinning on his heel complete with the customer service smile the typical scripted greeting faltered on his tongue when it  Standing in front of him was Chen but it just felt weird, like intense and just off.

"No more napkins then? I was beginning to get used to you being quiet, it was nice." He joked, laughing at the fake expression of hurt Chen dramatically pulled.

"No, I think at this point if I use any more I'll be the leading cause of deforestation, but this I wanted to ask you personally." The bravado in his voice was entirely false, the grin but a mask for the nerves, and the neat clasping of hands behind his back hid how they trembled. "So. Xiumin. To be perfectly honest, I don't want to wait around to test this out because I don't need to, so would you like to go on a date with me? Maybe go get coffee together or something simple?" The nerves turned into flat out fear when the other just laughed, a few other customers even joined in and Chen vaguely started wondering if he was somehow asleep and dreaming despite how impossible it may be. He hadn't done it in a very long time after all, but he remembered how your mind could quickly turn so sinister and plunge you into a nightmare. And that's what this was.

"Chen? Chen!-" snapping his fingers in front of the other's terrified face Xiumin quickly realised that laughing was decidedly not the best response given how Chen looked like he might bolt any minute, "-Hey hey I'm not laughing at you I promise, I'm sorry, I thought you were being ironic when you said to get coffee, yknow, like, I work in a cafe? I'm a barista, I'm surrounded by coffee all day?"

Well shit, he had a point. "No sorry you're right, it was real stupid to ask you to get coffee, sorry for um, well being a total idiot-"

"Lets just do something else then yeah? You're not an idiot, it's just everyone's go to first date idea." Xiumin soothed, practically sensing the other recoiling into a little ball of embarrassment as he admitted his mistake.

 _He didn't say no 'cos something else means a yes so he said yes so we're going on a date I'm actually going on a date with him oh god I'm going on a date with him-_ " You mentioned before that you're at your parents house this weekend to visit right?-" pausing for the nod he then continued with, "-So we'll have to wait until next week I reckon, I'm free on Thursday, uh, and um, I think maybe Friday too? Yeah Friday as well will work for me, or the weekend. But I'm really just happy to work around you, I'm not fussed what we do or where we go on the whole, just wanna spend more time with you." Bashfully his eyes drifted to the counter top for a brief second, eyeing up the little fake pumpkins and conkers that clustered around the till before returning to meet Xiumin's gaze.

"Oh that was smooth." The blush was back full force now. "I'm free on the Thursday after classes, and I don't have anything until gone midday on Friday so we've got all night to find something to do." Xiumin replied, fighting fire with his own stupidly arrogant and inevitably disastrous fire. God he hoped the children weren't listening, or more importantly the mothers that would actually understand the implications.

"You're just something else entirely aren't you?"

Suddenly the callouses on the palm of his hand seemed so much more interesting than anything or anyone else in the room. "Last time I checked I was still pretty human."

"No disputing that, definitely a pretty human." _Oh I'm just that good._ When Chen gained no response other than a shy smile and a faint exhale of a laugh he decided to diffuse the situation some. "So Thursday it is then. I'll try and drop by again during the week if you tell me when you're on shift, once I shake off my friends that is." Voice getting louder as slow strides took him back towards the door.

"Oi, what's up with not bringing them here? This is a wonderful little cafe if I do say so myself." God he was thankful for this change of topic, even though he'd been the one to make the suggestive comment he instantly regretted it. Xiumin had no idea what came over him, maybe it was just the competitive streak showing as per usual as Chen had embarrassed him in front of all the patrons.

"Oh it is. I just don't want to be having to share you that's all. I plan on keeping you all to myself and completely monopolizing your attention." Pale fingers clasped and turned the doorknob as Chen proudly announced his intentions, even going so far as to throw in a wink for good measure over his shoulder before he practically vanished into the night. Not literally of course, wouldn't want to give the humans a fright.

Meanwhile Xiumin was left standing there totally dumbfounded, other than a few who chuckled at Chen's audacity before resuming their otherwise interrupted evenings it seemed that no one had even reacted to Chen's boldness. How on earth could someone say that so casually? And to wink at him? No one winked anymore, that wasn't a thing! For good reason! His poor heart was going a mile a minute!

The score was currently 3-2 to Chen, and Xiumin planned on evening that back out at some point very soon.

*

Word Count: 7320 Words

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Readers! Another update for you, hopefully this one is a little easier to digest as its a bit shorter, now that the world building is out of the way I can get more stuck into the plot and I can't wait for you guys to see whats coming! FYI the slowburn tag isn't necessarily about the relationship but more because of the length of my chapters, but anyways thank you so much for reading! Feel free to comment what you thought, subscribe and leave kudos if you enjoyed it! Till next time!


	3. Food Poisoning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It had already been a hell of a week for Xiumin what with the news of his father so he'd really hoped that going on this date with Chen would provide him with some much needed comfort and relaxation, but if the smirk on Chen's face was anything to go by this was going to be a hell of a night.

The weekend spent with his parents passed in a blur of hugs, fur, food, and awkward silences to put it simply. Seeing them would always be wonderful, the dogs too, and there was no way he could hold a candle to his mum's cooking just yet so visiting home was just like this triple bonus of Xiumin's favourite things.

However things took a slightly awkward sort of turn when the three of them were sat in the front room, innocently enough to begin with. Nothing they hadn't done a million times before but this time good old dad asked -again innocently enough- how on earth Xiumin was fooling himself into thinking working as a barista would pay the rent and pay for food until he finished university. Parents always had the best way of phrasing these delightful questions. Therefore when Xiumin gave only a baffled face in response before turning to his mother who had a similar weird look of confusion come fear on her's his father only got more riled. So much like you would with a child he spoke very calmly and slowly to explain how the inheritance money from his biological parents did that, and how both of them were there when he turned 18 and could first access it. Then came the sucker punch, which was just so damn confusing, and looking back on it now what his mother later told him made Xiumin feel so guilty about his anger. But in that moment he'd never quite felt rage like it.

*

The silence was strange and unpleasant as Xiumin remained perfectly still as at that exact moment his father reminded him of a caged animal. One that had been backed in and had nothing to lose, like something had snapped deep inside. This dark look passed over his father's face and those brown iris' looked as if they flooded with silver for just a split second while that blank stare seemingly transported the man to an entirely different time. The wooden living room floor suddenly felt like ice even beneath his sock clad feet and the foam in the sofa cushion sounded like crunching snow as he shifted uncomfortably. He'd never seen his mother look so tense, hands shaking and eyes darting about in tempo with the rising pressure filling the room until he was worried it was some kind of panic attack. Then his own part played in the crescendo as he called out in worry but she never took her eyes of her husband. The moment that sound filled the room it began; much like thin ice everything seemed to shatter.

"My god. The account, the account yes god yes, we were bloody there when you opened it, we were there! You're right of course you're right. Sometimes I just forget that- I forget that you're not a  **normal**  kid Xiumin, I forget where and who you came- like really came from. God Seoyeon we've been here too long, we've gotten old wasting our lives away my love, look at him he's an adult now and the king- his parents are dead, they aren't coming back you know this." As soon as the man had finished speaking, in that horrid nonchalant tone too, his face turned the palest shade of white Xiumin had ever seen.

Xiumin couldn't remember exactly what he said, but it was absolutely foul. And it was deserved at that moment in time. As his father spoke a flurry of emotions attacked his core, first and foremost being anger. Not a normal kid? What on fucking earth was he then? Being adopted didn't make him different from anyone else, at the root of it he still had a mother and a father and a relatively normal upbringing, no hidden trauma lurking somewhere of an abusive biological mother or something like that. Being realistic Xiumin knew he wasn't exactly fitting perfectly into society's little boxes, being an adopted gay Asian male that spent most his childhood home schooled until high school began didn't really qualify him as fitting the mold but that didn't make him abnormal in the same breath. But before he even had time to linger on what that little jibe really meant betrayal quickly devoured that anger and turned it far uglier. Adopted children came from a place, an orphanage, Xiumin came from an orphanage, if anyone asked he would say the typical blurb of 'Yes I am adopted, I came from somewhere called Bethal's Home for Children up pretty far north'. Adopted children didn't come from a person directly, and for his entire life -not that Xiumin had actually wanted to ask many questions when he was inevitably told as a teenager- he had fully believed his adoptive parents when they would cast their eyes down in a mixture of sadness and shame and say that though they had tried desperately they could never find anything on his real parents. Who you came from, is what Daewoo had said, followed by an implication of an alleged shared knowledge that his biological parents were indisputably dead, and a king? It all just became too much. It was a massacre, tears streamed down Xiumin's face as he bellowed out curses towards his father, even his mother for now allegedly being involved and between the screaming, the barking, and the crying sounding from his mother he couldn't take it anymore. So he left.

There was a sort of heap on the elevated porch to their home when he returned much later that evening, and upon closer inspection it was his mother amidst the dogs. It was a sneaky but smart move, Xiumin was far less likely to raise his voice at his mother and even less likely with the dogs right there. But he never got the opportunity to because his mother just spoke, softly, and didn't stop for several minutes.

 _He forgets things,_  is what she said.

 _Dementia is only over the beginning,_  is what that little voice in Xiumin's head says.

 _His mood just changes in seconds, and he snaps, it's like he forgets we've been married all these years and he just goes on and on about how we must have wasted our lives away,_  is what she warbled, voice thick with tears.

 _You should never have left her alone_ , his heart whispers,  _what if he really snapped and he hurts her? You know he could do it_ , it continued.

 _It's never been something as big as this before, its just been him losing the keys or being convinced I'd moved things or that I'd taken them away from him, little things like that. I never thought it was that serious!,_  she pleads with him, eyes almost searching for forgiveness and Xiumin doesn't understand until suddenly he does and his arms are holding her in the tightest hug for as long as she'll let him.

 _She blames herself_ , he knows in his heart of hearts, of course she would.

"We'll get through this, we'll get help." He says.

*

And so, Thursday could not come quickly enough. The appointment had been set up after the two of them had had the displeasure of forcing that still wonderful man to sit down and listen, and in turn they'd had to listen as every excuse was thrown their way in denial. It took hours before an agreement of sorts had been met, Dad still didn't think it was that bad but he would go to the appointment for them. Therefore all that was left to do was wait as time trickled on ever so slowly, the days passing in a never ending cycle of classes, workouts, and shifts at the cafe. It had been progressively driving Xiumin insane as he stared up at that foreign feeling white ceiling yet again with nothing to do and nothing to think about apart from his father. However the cogs finally turned as to what day it was, spurring a flailing mass of limbs that tripped over scattered books and shoes to jump into motion and lunge for the phone on the kitchen counter. That little text he'd been too distracted to answer was still sitting there in his notifications, 'I'll pick you up at seven yeah?x' Chen had typed, the little kiss on the end being a recent addition to their texting but a welcome one at the very least. But the clock reading 5:46pm was decidedly not so welcome. He'd been so distracted all week -justifiably so- that Xiumin had completely forgotten that the date would physically be happening, and not just something to daydream about. God all this time had been spent so blissfully unaware.

Then for whatever reason, instead of asking Chen where exactly they were going and what he should wear as after some deliberation and protest on Xiumin's part the two had decided to go to a somewhat fancy sounding restaurant (with the bribe of being no kids allowed) that Chen thought he'd love, the panicking male proceeded to flit about the apartment tidying every room up as if his parents were about to come over. Chen was not going to come over, or come up for coffee, or come in just to talk for a little longer after their dinner as there was no doubt what that would lead to. And what scared Xiumin the most was how unopposed he was to that fact, something deep within him bubbling with happiness like some teenage girl with a crush. Sure Choi had been an ass about it and that had made Xiumin just a little afraid of sex but since then he'd grown up, sort of. And while yes sex had still eluded him he by no means was inexperienced, especially since hitting the gym and actually being a sociable person instead of a little hermit. But that did not mean that tonight should be 'the' night, absolutely not.

The couch cushion that had been picked up along the rapidly deteriorating train of thought was now fluffed into absolute oblivion so Xiumin returned it to its place and sucked it up. Hitting send to Chen with some shitty excuse of why he didn't reply and how he'd explain more on the date itself provided Chen told Xiumin where to meet him and what to wear.

To: Cheshire Boy, [SENT: 6:12PM] [RECIEVED: 6:12PM] [OPENED: 6:12PM]

_hey im reaaally sorry for taking so long to reply, i know its sort of been day after day of it at this point and i totally blanked you on sunday too but i promise i'll explain everything when i see you tonight at seven? please? i swear im not trying to just shrug you off, i really want go on this date with you, please?_

From: Cheshire Boy, [RECIEVED: 6:18PM] [OPENED: 6:18PM]

_We already had a rocky enough start to all this and after spending that whole day with you I trust that you're somewhat serious Xiumin, getting my hopes up a second time would be a seriously cruel thing to do. Even for someone as mean as you, but I'm gonna need one damn good explanation. Meet me in front of your apartment building, or a road nearby if you'd rather, and yes still at seven, even with your late reply I should still have enough time to get ready, natural beauty does most of the work for me really. Oh, FYI, it's not casual wear tonight so get fancy, ish._

And with that Xiumin was a flurry of movement once more, easily navigating the now much more organised and adult looking apartment what with all the takeout boxes and dishes cleaned away among other things, yet it was a question of how long it'd stay that tidy considering there was about 40 minutes until he needed to be downstairs. Showering would only take maybe ten minutes max as it was impossible to be under that apparently permanently frosty water for much longer than that, although considering the length of his weird pedo looking creepy moustache shaving would be top priority so make that a five minute shower. There would not be a single black prickly hair left on his face once he was through.

Now rubbing the dark strands dry with a towel he wandered back into his bedroom, bearing in mind to avoid the small puddles of water that had fallen during the short distance between his en-suite shower and actual bathroom. Xiumin then tossed the towel onto the brushed cotton sheets of his bed before dropping down onto the plush surface himself. Clothes were next, not forgetting deodorant and aftershave too of course, but how on earth do you dress for fancy ish? How ish was the ish? Was it going to be more like casual but just no t-shirts and no hoodies, or fancy causal so no jeans and no trainers? If the dress code was that serious though it was likely that Chen would have said something, or so he hoped. All Xiumin wanted to do was to fall back and sink into the thick duvet and whine, but after all this faffing around there was only about twenty minutes left until he would be meeting Chen.

There was no doubt it'd probably be a near all black combo, most likely some black cigarette pants and again black high top converse (because they were comfy but not obviously a trainer so it was sticking with the ish part?) but the real question was whether or not to risk with a button down and end up looking a total tit. Although it was probably best to be overdressed than under dressed, besides his trainers in disguise would already dress down the outfit by quite a bit. After pacing in front of the mirror for another few minutes and after inevitably getting distracted by the fragmentation of his reflection as he walked past the wardrobe doors in the end it was decided that he'd risk the button down but go for a plain relatively unbranded one. So that left him with black or a colour somewhere between forest green and true emeralds, it wasn't a common colour which is why Xiumin loved it dearly and was exactly why he found pale fingers reaching out towards it. Gliding along all the other hoodies, jumpers, and dress shirts that he had hanging up in a bored manner until flesh met worn, soft cotton. It looked just as good on as he remembered it, so with a quick glance towards the clock there were mere moments before he really ought to start heading down and locking up, which meant he actually had about ten minutes left.

After locating the rarely used little pot buried in a bedside table drawer Xiumin quickly scooped out a small amount of the product before running it through the slightly damp brown-come-black hair in front of the bathroom mirror until that 'just right' messy kind of look was sort of happening. Or at least he hoped it was. Now all that was left was cologne and ring, both of which were thankfully much easier to find and slip on. It was just a plain silver band that he always wore on the middle finger of his left hand, it had some kind of inscription written on the inside but he'd never learnt what it meant, it was just in 'that' box that he'd been found with as a baby apparently. It didn't hold any sentimental value, just felt right wearing the boring old thing.  
  
  


Chen was already there and waiting after Xiumin had habitually double checked all his locks and made sure that a worn leather wallet was tucked securely in the breast pocket of his shirt while his phone sat in the front right of the slacks. The two were meeting a few roads over from the actual apartment building, but the cafe and those cherry blossoms were still visible in the distance which probably let Chen know he was trusted to be very close to the actual location. Shadows danced along brick walls when the occasional car crawled by with a crunch of gravel beneath the tires and there was an unforeseen crisp breeze which is what Xiumin hoped was causing this tightening around his heart and not just the nerves. But it was just far too late if it was nerves because Chen's happy little grin was becoming clearer with every step taken.

Neither said anything for a moment, it was like an awkward standoff with shoulders squared as they faced each other. That smug grin plastered on Chen's face indicated all kinds of mischief to come and it was met with a dusting of pink and a challenging gaze, though it faded as the distance between the two rapidly disappeared as the other purposefully strode over to him. One arm wrapped itself securely around Xiumin's lower back effectively bringing their bodies into alignment and the other came to rest on the back of his neck as warm breath fanned over his shoulder and neck.  _God why is my heart racing its just a stupid hug just hug him back and be normal!_

"I'm so glad you came. A teeny part of me was actually worried you'd be a no show, but here you are in all your glory." Chen admitted as he pulled away from Xiumin, sending a soft smile to the other to let Xiumin know he wasn't that angry about the past week despite the slight dig.

Wincing visibly at the words but deep down he knew it was coming, "I am really sorry about this week, it's not exact a pleasant story so I'll get it out of the way now so it doesn't ruin our date-"

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. You're here and that's all that matters."

"I mean I have just realised there's a few key features of this story that are like about me that I've never mentioned to you before so I think I'll just like get it all out into the open now, oh which way is your car by the way? We might as well walk and talk." Xiumin said, glancing up and down the street before Chen told him it was just a little ways up and then down another street. "So, first and foremost I'm adopted, and I have no idea who my biological parents are nor do I have an interest to know." Xiumin let his statement hang in the air for a moment to see if Chen had any reaction, even glancing at his date briefly to scan his features for any emotion present. The light from a streetlamp above danced across Chen's face as the two walked under it, almost playing tricks on Xiumin's sight as with every step it looked as if a new expression was forming under the differing placements of shadows.

Unaware of how to delicately respond to something as important as that Chen just went for the blunt response of, "Xiumin I could care less about where you came from so carry on."

"Alright, uh, thanks, but yeah I'm adopted and I've been raised by the Kim's, who I just see as like my actual parents since I was three um maybe- maybe four when they took me in and signed all the papers I think. Anyways I was visiting this weekend as you know, and then like out of nowhere my dad started asking me why I thought I could survive and pay rent as 'just a barista' or whatever- Oh! I have a trust fund too, I forgot to mention that, from like my biological parents- so I said to my Dad that like as much as I hate using it I use the trust fund to pay my rent and bills and the part time job pays for everything else." Briefly pausing to ensure the other was still following Xiumin became aware of a warm hand loosely clasping his wrist to guide him towards the car, as his eyes traveled back up the other's body he was met with that same soft smile from earlier. That smile only getting wider as their fingers became intertwined.

"I'm still here, still listening I mean so carry on, just planning on how to get you to be my sugar daddy now that I know about the trust fund." Grinning as he spoke Chen watched some of the tension just melt out of Xiumin as he threw his head back to laugh openly, clearly not caring about the other pedestrians staring at him.

God Xiumin hadn't laughed in days, not properly like this, just falsely at customers stupid jokes. "Anyways you gold digger, back to the story, so yeah he just like got all weird after that saying he'd forgotten I wasn't some 'normal' kid and that he'd forgotten who's child I was as well, and to make it even worse he made it out as if he knew like properly and fully knew that my biological parents were dead, so naturally I completely freaked because I thought they knew nothing about them because that's what they've been telling me for years and after screaming the house down I just stormed out." His eyes were glued to the pavement below him in embarrassment, watching small stones bounce along the floor as the toes of his shoes scuffed the ground.

"Oh god, no wonder you've been all over the place this week, did you find out why they lied to you about not knowing them?" Chen asked, praying for once he'd managed to convey a sympathetic tone.

"No no it gets worse, when I eventually came back to confront them my mum told me that she thinks my dad might be getting dementia or something like that. She said its only been like forgetting where his keys are, just little things so far, nothing big until that. So we had to sit him down and convince him to go and get an appointment about it. Worst part is I think she blames herself somehow."

Ironically Chen always forgot about the diseases that humans got with age, especially ones like what Xiumin had mention that just stole everything away from a person. "My god I am so sorry, that is not at all how I expected that story to end, and not that it's my place but please don't feel guilty over yelling at him, you didn't know at that point that something was wrong with him. Anyways, were here, this is me, my car, so uh..." He let the implications dangle in the air as he waited for Xiumin to make a move.

"Well I can safely say that I didn't either, and thank you, I know I shouldn't feel guilty but its just one of those things. Don't worry though, he's got his appointment so there's no use me agonizing over it any longer." Xiumin insisted, only looking at Chen who still looked hesitant about the whole thing. "I promise you it's fine, I'm fine, I've been looking forward to this date all week I just wanted to tell you all this sooner rather than later." The other visibly relaxed at that and finally looking more at ease, so now that that was finally and painfully dealt with he turned his attention to the sleek masterpiece in front of him. "You want me to be your sugar daddy but this is what you drive around?!" Xiumin cried incredulously, gawking at the black sports car. He wasn't a petrol head by any means but he knew that this car must have been ridiculously expensive.

Immediately Chen deflected the accusation as he reached into his jacket pocket to procure the keys and unlock the car. "Who said it's mine, maybe it's a friends, maybe it belongs to a relative, maybe I wanted to impress you hmm?"

Xiumin neglected to respond to the teasing but still rolled his eyes as Chen came round to open the passenger door for him. And when he sunk into the plush leather seats it was promptly decided that he didn't care who the car belonged to. Unfortunately though being too distracted by the amazing features of the pricey car meant Xiumin failed to notice that Chen had clambered into the vehicle as well, though when the idiot revved the engine he certainly snapped out of his daze.

"What was that for, you scared me you idiot!" Xiumin exclaimed, body jumping and a hand colliding with the interior of the door with an audible thud.

"You weren't listening to me, I asked if you were ready to go?" Jingling the keys for added emphasis apparently was the key to gaining Xiumin's full attention.  _Dog person my ass._

"Yeah I am, let's go to wherever you're taking me then." He practically ordered while still cradling his poor arm, curiosity was both killing him and driving him insane but he wouldn't have it any other way, Chen would always keep him coming back for more after all. There was something enticing about the man and Xiumin just couldn't get enough of him. For someone who was once uncomfortable with relationships Xiumin was certainly an odd case as of late. Just last night he'd remembered seeing glimpses of a dream where they had just woken up together, but not in a lustful way, it was calm and it just felt safe there in Chen's arms on a dimly lit morning. His little day dreams were all filled with such mundane things, just little slices of life.

"Alright, yeah, let's go." Chen announced, noting the distant look in Xiumin's eyes. After setting out towards the restaurant eventually they were out of the winding roads contained within Xiumin's area and the wheels met the smooth tarmac of the open main road instead. Now that the road was much calmer he took a hand off of the steering wheel and placed it on Xiumin's thigh, just above the knee and squeezed. He didn't like the look that had over taken Xiumin's pretty features, was Xiumin not happy to be here, or was he still torturing himself over his father?

Xiumin felt his breath catch at the sudden touch but he did not comment on it at all. Instead he looked out the window in an attempt to distract himself with the endless darkness that could be seen expanding above him. Stars littered the sky and passing cars were now just a blur, the red and yellow lights were becoming streaks of colour and they sped down the highway. Every once in a while the hand would gently squeeze his thigh or rub small circles onto his skin. The touch was making Xiumin forget about every single worry he had currently plaguing him and he nearly groaned aloud as Chen added a much firmer grip. Seeing as Xiumin didn't want the hand to go away anytime soon he did try to subtly slide further to the left so that Chen wouldn't have to lean as far over, noting the awkward position Chen. But as soon as he shifted in his seat Xiumin knew that Chen had witnessed it. After glancing over he saw that the other had this stupidly and irrationally smug look on his face. The grip on his thigh was now tugging him over, spreading his legs open slightly.

"Thanks, my side was starting to ache from leaning over so much but I guess I at least now know you appreciated it." Chen teased, tightening his grip and completely loving how Xiumin had been borderline squirming in his seat and how he had moved in towards the touch.

Though he winced as Xiumin crossed his legs over Chen's hand, trapping it between the two thick thighs and clamping powerful muscles down on it harshly. A small cry left his mouth as Xiumin nearly crushed his poor hand and as he tried to wiggle his hand in order to set it free.

Xiumin froze. "C-Chen, if you are trying to get your hand out, then moving it further up is probably not the best idea- for the love of god stop moving your fucking hand!" Xiumin hissed, his voice breathy and barely audible but rising to a shout at the end out of panic.

Chen then proceeded to look down quickly before focusing on the road again and instantly shared that feeling of terror, he had indeed only moved his hand further up into much more dangerous territory. "Xiumin I'm sorry I didn't mean to -it wasn't on purpose I swear, oh my god I'm so sorry!" The car swerved maybe a foot to the right as Chen yanked his hand free and returned it to the wheel with the such a fierce grip that his knuckles turned white.

"Chen. Shut up. It's fine, I know it wasn't on purpose I just think I'd appreciate it if you never did it again unless well uh, you know, but um like yeah, the-the hand on my thigh is like fine just, yeah. Just drive, are we close?" Xiumin mumbled with a blush on up his face, unclamping his legs and stretching them out.

"I was just worried you'd freak out, I don't know what you like and don't like, or what you want from this, or what limits and stuff you have so I don't want to scare you off that's all. Uh we're like ten minutes away, maybe more if I can't find somewhere to park." Chen mumbled quietly and Xiumin sat there in complete silence.

"It doesn't, uh make you uncomfortable at all? You like- actually want to like properly talk about this?" Xiumin strained out, the words physically not wanting to pass his lips because god he was not ready for that conversation just yet.

"Yeah I really do, but maybe not in a car or in the middle of a restaurant, one day soon I'll come round and we can talk about it properly okay? No wait, that sounded wrong, I'm not ignoring this I do want to talk about it I just know it's an odd subject and I wanted to cheer you up tonight." Chen proclaimed sincerely, stumbling over his words but hoping that Xiumin got the message.

"No don't worry about it I understand, I know what you mean, talking about my Dad always puts me in a weird mood so thank you." He whispered, noting how genuine the man sounded and for once in his life he chose to believe in anther person blindly. "So, what kind of restaurant is it, have you been here before?"

*

Eventually Chen arrived at the restaurant and parked his car after doing a few rounds of the immediate area. The ever gentlemanly person that he was quickly pulled the keys out of the ignition, jumped out of the car, and rushed round to the other side to open the door for Xiumin. His date rolled his eyes in response but Chen had a feeling that the other loved being treated like this. From what Xiumin had told him, he hadn't been in many relationships and the ones that he had hadn't been the most pleasant and largely ended badly or quickly, so Chen was determined to show Xiumin one good date at the very least. But truthfully he wanted a relationship with Xiumin, he secretly even wanted the mundanity of sitting in and watching Netflix curled up together. He wanted to become so utterly domestic with Xiumin that their first argument would be about who's turn it was to chose the movie or restaurant or some other useless crap like that. So he'd have to be on his best behaviour tonight.

Even from the outside of the building Xiumin new Chen had downplayed the restaurant by dubbing it 'fancy ish'. It must have originally been one of those old historic come Victorian looking buildings. It had these stained glass bay windows with beautiful flowerpots lining their external windowsills, and beneath every window was a stone placard with something in probably Latin that he could never dream of understanding. It was three stories high and tables could be seen on the first two floors with most likely storage on the third, even the front door was intimidating as before you could get to it you had to pass through a large metal gate with again more Latin with climbing plants threading themselves into any gap possible. Next came the outdoor seating area lining either side of a paved walkway, though few would be brave enough to risk it with how cold the nights were becoming. And then finally came the large dark oak-wood door with these beautiful carved panels containing more flowers and vines. Just when it couldn't get intimidating enough even with Chen's arm firmly around his waist Xiumin had to stifle a gasp as the door was opened for them from the inside just as he was about the reach for the handle. Full on Scooby Doo please enter my haunted mansion kind of vibe.

But he couldn't deny that it was absolutely stunning inside and out with the interior decorations being just as rustic and elegant as the outside. The two of them were sat down at a table by the stunning windows, it was a very busy restaurant but an slightly upscale one none the less. Not one pair of trainers in sight bar his own.  _Shit_. Xiumin was beginning to feel slightly uncomfortable, just by looking at the other patrons he knew that half of these people were snobs with more money than sense. The two of them just chatted about everything surrounding them until the menus finally arrived with a list of the specials being delivered to them by a pretty and young waitress, though the list was mostly being directed towards Chen who just smiled politely in response and nodded when appropriate until she finally stopped talking. God it shouldn't have even bothered him but it infuriated him to no end.

Xiumin really did try to ignore the childish and territorial feeling he had however he really didn't like the way the girl was looking at Chen, but he didn't know if he had any right to do or say something about it. Were the two of them even an item yet? Or maybe becoming one? Did he even have any right to be jealous over someone who wasn't even his in the first place? An increasing feeling of anger at the entire situation now bubbled inside him when the girl placed her hand on Chen's arm and that's when he realised that at least one of his issues could be resolved with minimal effort. So reaching over and in between the stupid amount of cutlery and wine glasses he placed his hand over Chen's and smiled sweetly at the girl.

"I'd like to order now if that's okay?" Xiumin asked, he made sure his tone of voice remained normal and that it sounded somewhat friendly. He may dislike the girl but there was no need to be rude towards her, no matter how much he quite literally wanted to rip her arm off so that she could never touch Chen again.

"Uh yeah that's fine, what can I get you?" The waitress replied, her eyes flicking downwards to gaze at the joined hands before she just went straight back to gazing lovingly at Chen.

"The herb encrusted salmon with garden vegetables please?" He listed, "What about you Chen?" Xiumin continued with as he stretched his legs out underneath the table until he found Chen's and proceeded to rest their limbs together under the cloak of the thick white tablecloth; obscuring the small act of affection from any prying eyes. But after removing his dagger like glare from the girl he threw a glance over at Chen he found the man not even looking at the menu or himself but instead at their joined hands instead with wide eyes. "Chen, babe?" _Babe was definitely too much._  "Are you ordering?" He asked gently while he quickly squeezed Chen's warm hand.

"Oh uh yeah, I'll just have whatever he's having." Chen muttered out, finally tearing his eyes away from Xiumin's smaller hand engulfed by his own. He was nervous to say the least, but the fact that a warm leg was resting against his own, and a pale hand was placed in his made him settle just a little bit.

The food arrived quickly and the two began to eat though Chen didn't pay much attention to the meal as instead he was focusing entirely on Xiumin, how he was animatedly talking about anything and everything the whole time and Chen found himself replying with just as much enthusiasm. Food from human restaurants was just never the same as food back home, but this dish truly did taste unpleasant. They had eventually circled back around to the cats versus dogs debate they always ended up having, Xiumin just couldn't get over the fact that Chen hated dogs; 'because how could anyone hate dogs?!' to quote his date. Supposedly even if you hated poodles and German shepards, maybe you'd like labradoodles, or huskies, or pugs. There would always be one breed that you fell in love with. Although Xiumin apparently loved anything with four legs that specifically barked, not meowed. Cats were a whole other subject. But Chen just claimed to hate all dogs, every last one of his beloved creatures.

So in order to get revenge Xiumin had just rebounded with a snide remark about how Chen liking cats reflected in his personality, "Just stuck up and a bit of an arsehole really." He had expected a witty reply, that's just how things went, but instead all that had happened was Chen abruptly leaving the table and scurrying towards the bathroom. Xiumin just sat there completely shocked, in a full fledged panic that he had somehow offended the other but he decided to wait for Chen to come back rather than going after him. However after twenty minutes and a lot of pitying looks from the other couples and waiters Xiumin finally got up and warily walked towards the restrooms.

He quietly crept into the bathroom and a look of disgust overtook his features when all that greeted him was the sound of dry heaving and the smell of vomit. It's putrid stench was like a kick in the nose, ever since he was a child he had been sensitive to smells and often got migraines if he came across a particularly strong scent and his head was throbbing as he approached the row of stalls. Though the look began to soften when he saw Chen sat on the floor next to the toilet, sweat dripping down his face, his skin deathly pale and tears in his eyes.

"Fuck I'm not sure what's worse, me doing this or you seeing me do this, god this hurts, both physically and ego-iscally, egotist- egostistically?" He whined, hand clutching his stomach. Though all forms of communication were cut of for the moment as Chen proceeded to practically throw his head back down the toilet and let out yet another flow of vomit. After moments which seemed like hours to the spectator he seemed to have momentarily stopped so Xiumin gingerly approached and laid a hand timidly on Chen's back.

"Chen what hurts? Just your stomach? Because it looks like you've got a fever or something too?" Xiumin asked stepping closer to the other and gently placing his other hand on Chen's shoulder. The other only nodded in response which was oh so helpful before vomiting in the toilet again. Xiumin remained quiet, rubbing soothing circles on Chen's back. Once the other had stopped throwing up he pulled off a few sheets of toilet roll and wiped Chen's mouth with it. "I'm gonna quickly disappear for a bit but I'll be back in like ten minutes okay?" Xiumin whispered before standing and leaving the bathroom. Momentarily stopping as Chen began whimpering and reaching for him again but he couldn't resist and quickly ran back as Chen was making desperate grabby hands at him. "Chen what's wrong?" He inquired, now that he was back to his originally position of crouching next to Chen enveloping him in his arms.

"It hurts, not like sick hurts but just like hurt hurts, I feel like I'm being stabbed but someone won't stop twisting the knife. I might like actually have to call someone or something." Chen whined as tears now streamed freely down his face.

"Okay okay, I know it hurts but I have to go for like five minutes, I promise I'll come right back, I'm not leaving you for any longer than I have to okay?" Xiumin insisted, worry lacing his rushed words. Chen only nodded in response and rolled his shoulder in an attempt to get Xiumin's arm off.

Chen had to fight off the screams. But he couldn't hold back the tears that streamed down his face, he should of paid attention to what he was eating, how the hell could he not have smelt it?! But deep down he knew why, he had been too distracted by Xiumin to even notice it and it wasn't potent enough to set of warning bells as he ate it but it was still just enough to cause this monstrous incident. And now he was stuck practically throwing up everything that he had eaten in the last few days along with his stomach and lungs into a public toilet. With his very attractive date less than a meter away.

The utter humiliation that he felt was quickly silenced by the blinding pain that sliced through his abdomen and seemed to be flowing through his very veins, transporting the powerful feeling into every millimeter of his being. His throat burned, his stomach was clenching and then unclenching with every breath much like a spasm, air wheezed in and out of his constricted throat, and to top it all off there was the joyous addition of blurred vision and a spinning room. He weakly tried calling out for Xiumin but only the sound of his retching could be heard. So he lent his forehead against the cool porcelain and prayed that the other would return quickly, hopefully before he passed out, or died.

Xiumin walked up to the till and paid for the meals first and foremost, with a brief apology to their server and a promise that the food was indeed lovely and the vomiting did not reflect on them. Although physically walking up to the counter and asking to pay there and then seemed to shock the staff member more than the vomiting thing anyways, knowing his luck he'd probably just broken like three etiquette rules all at once by doing that. So after immediately turning tail and hiding in the stairwell leading to the second floor he pulled his phone out of his pocket and quickly dialed the number for a taxi and gave them the name of the restaurant. The man on the other side of the line said a driver would be there in about fifteen minutes which was better than the half an hour that Xiumin had predicted. So once again he walked back up to the till, unfortunately still the same horrified and snooty server, and asked with aggressive politeness (because he was truly growing tired of being looked down upon): "if you could  **please,**  if its not too much trouble, **please** come fetch me from the bathroom  **please** ,when the taxi has arrived.  **Please**."

After receiving a very frightened look and alarmingly fast nod he quickly explained how his friend was still currently being sick in the bathroom so they could hardly wait in the lobby, which again the mere thought of visibly horrified the poor man. Xiumin then apologised again for the trouble that they were causing but the staff member just brushed it off saying that they were no trouble and that he'd send someone once it had arrived, probably just desperately wanting to be rid of them. A more senior member of staff then asked if he could assist in any manner but after Xiumin declined he then asked for both of their names so that if they ever came back they would get a free meal for all their troubles and inconveniences that night, Xiumin was unsure if he'd ever want to come back but gave the man his name none the less.

Xiumin then finally returned to the dreaded bathroom and crouched down next to Chen, not quite wanting to reduce himself to sitting on a bathroom floor no matter how badly their date had been ruined. After running his fingers through the other's thick hair to try and calm him for a few moments it unfortunately seemed that nothing could pacify the other, Chen only seemed to get worse and worse. There was less vomiting and more cries of pain as of late, his temperature had spiked to a worrying level and his skin had turned deathly pale. Eventually a very timid looking waiter came in the bathroom, face turning green when he saw Chen hanging over the toilet vomiting.

"The uh, the taxi is, uh sir, it's here, the taxi I mean, but um are you okay sir?" The young boy asked, he obviously didn't want to be here any longer so Xiumin quickly nodded and told the boy he could leave now.

"Chen, we've got to get up now, I'm going to take you to hospital I think you might have food poisoning come on." Xiumin whispered gently, ripping off some toilet paper to wipe Chen's mouth once more before he threw it down the toilet and flushed the chunky mix of oranges and putrid yellows away down the toilet. He wrapped his arms carefully around Chen and starting lifting him to his feet.

"No! You can't! I'm fine I promise, I'll be okay in a few days, please just don't take me to the hospital!" Chen protested loudly. Xiumin didn't know what to do, it was obvious that Chen was seriously ill, but he couldn't force the other to go to hospital. But he didn't want to leave him alone so there was regrettably only one thing left he could do. Therefore as much as he'd have liked to just go and drop Chen off wherever he lived the fact that Chen was only getting worse seemed to flick a switch in Xiumin. Now he wanted nothing more than to take care of the sick male and make sure that he was okay, even if it may cost him a carpet or two. "Fine, then I'm bringing you back to my apartment where I can take care of you, you're sick Chen, you need someone to help you, please." Xiumin begged.

"Okay okay, just no hospital, promise?" Chen decided after a lull as he thought things over. He didn't really want to be around Xiumin while he was up to his elbows in his own vomit but he didn't really have a choice. He could not go to the hospital no matter what. So begrudgingly he allowed Xiumin to pull him to his feet and help him walk to the taxi. Both of them tried to ignore the disgusted looks they were getting as he stumbled through the restaurant and out the door but luckily the cab was only a little ways down the road. 

For Chen however each step was agony, with every moment the muscles in his abdomen would stretch and twist bringing fresh waves of pain ripping through him. No amount of leaning on Xiumin managed to alleviated even the slightest amount of the pain he was experiencing. He practically fell into the cab as soon as the door was opened, curling up in a little ball on the seat and even allowing Xiumin to baby him by tugging his seat belt over his hunched form and balling up his jacket to place it under Chen's head as a pillow. The entire drive home was spent in silence and Xiumin gazed out of the window at the endless black for the second time that night.

Chen dazedly watched as Xiumin handed the taxi driver the money for the fare, though he was completely shocked when Xiumin quickly got out, ran to the other side, and very slowly and awkwardly lifted him up bridal style out of the taxi. The other had been holding his keys in his mouth but he dropped them into Chen's lap once he had a secure hold.

"You're in charge of doors, okay? Can you do that for me?" Xiumin asked gently.

"Yeah sure, just go slowly though, I don't think I'm gonna puke again but just in case." He groaned out quietly. So Chen did exactly as Xiumin instructed, fumbling for the correct keys to unlock each door. If he knew what would unfold from the night ahead, Chen would have just got up and left right then, but instead he curled up in the safety of Xiumin's arms as the other carried him into the elevator. When they eventually entered Xiumin's apartment and he was placed on the floor Chen felt the entire room spin. It was the beginning of second wave of whatever sickness was plaguing him, and it was definitely worse than the first. This would be a hell of a long night.

*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Readers! Another new chapter for you guys, little shorter than the other ones so I hope its more manageable for you! We're finally starting to pick up the pace and get stuck into the plot though so I'm getting super excited, I am sorry it ends on a cliff hanger almost but if I didn't split the chapter up it was going to end up being like 20,000 words long. I'm already shocked I managed to write about one date for 8k but hey ho as long as you guys enjoy it that's all that matters to me! As always kudos and comments are very much loved and appreciated, I'll see you next time!


	4. Sickness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It turns out taking care of a sick Chen is one hell of a mammoth task and Xiumin is starting to regret just about every choice that led up to this moment. Especially as he watched the chunky orange paste slide off of his fingers and swirl around the plughole.

Admittedly while it may not have been a full on deep clean, Xiumin had in fact just tidied the place up. Like a mere few hours ago kind of just tidied, and yes it was a given that he would have been a little self conscious of the mess if he hadn't cleaned up but in this state Chen hardly would have commented on it. Although the smarmy little shit was full of surprises and seemed the type to bite the hand that fed him if he thought it'd be funny enough. Yet here he was welcoming this erupting volcano of a bio-hazard into the lovely clean apartment with its cream carpets and non infected surfaces. Not ignoring the fact that the date had obviously been ruined too, but as salty as he felt Xiumin couldn't blame it entirely on the other. If anything he just felt an immense sense of pity as he lowered Chen onto the plush sofa; that and a general fear for the safety of his upholstery of course.

The only reason causing him to take such a massive risk was to search for any possible solution or medicine to help the other feel the slightest bit better. If Xiumin could only ease the pain slightly then Chen might end up sleeping the worst of it off. For now however there was just a low whine of pain and the stuttered sound of fingernails leaving trails on the surface of the cushion beneath him; knuckles equally as white as a sweat drenched face. Though the look now passing over his ever handsome features was one of strain and panic typically meaning one thing and one thing alone, either Chen was going to give birth, or was holding back the urge to vomit. And it was highly unlikely that Chen had a bun in the oven. "Chen?" He quickly approached the other and firmly sank fingers into the flesh of an upper arm. "Chen?" Once more he tried, louder this time as the other continued to pant and stare down at his sock clad feet motionlessly. But he daren't attempt to shake or slap him out of the daze, it was only when spit began to generously spill over a full bottom lip that Xiumin launched an arm around Chen's waist while the other twisted to drag Chen's arm forcibly up and over his own shoulders. Thankfully it seemed that the dark patch of drool now colouring Chen's slacks was the wake up call for them both as Xiumin only needed to haul him for the first few steps before the other was attempting to run to wherever he was being dragged. Which was thankfully the closest bathroom.

The bones in Chen's wrists sung and practically vibrated with a dull ache for what felt like hours to him after they smacked audibly on the porcelain rim of the toilet, Xiumin barely got a chance to lift up the lid and seat before he launched himself onto it with full force. But to be honest he hardly had a second to spare considering the hose like spray of vomit that seemed to expel itself from his guts like some poor possessed girl in a nineties B-grade horror movie.

Xiumin allowed his eyes to wander as he idly rubbed Chen's back, humming some random tune under his breath as if it would drown out the sound of retching. His free hand was hopping from spot to spot on the tiled floor, moving whenever the extremity began to feel heavy with blood. Though even pins and needles might have been a welcome distraction in that particular moment. It was a given that the poor guy would be there for quite some time and honestly the smell was starting to get to him. How on earth could so much vomit come out of one person? So with a nose wrinkled in disgust Xiumin couldn't bring himself to sit there any longer and delicately began to stand, legs half asleep underneath him and bones- knees and ankles specifically crunching with the first few steps until he was in front of the kitchen sink filling an old sports drink bottle with some water. Even now the vomit could be smelt and heard as it splashed into the toilet in all its chunky glory. Probably best not think about its chunky glory. Definitely best.

With quick and guilty steps Xiumin darted past the bathroom and opened the door to his own bedroom, almost slamming it behind him in his haste to prevent the smell from travelling here too but it was already too late. Wandering into the smaller ensuite he feebly opened the medicine cabinet and the door creaked as he did so. Unsurprisingly it was looking a little barren, beside some painkillers and cough sweets on the top shelf and antiseptic creams and plasters of varying sizes on the first. Though truth be told he had no idea what he was actually looking for. Was there such a thing as anti-nausea tablets? Well either way he didn't have any regardless of whether they were real or not. The only viable option would be the painkillers as Chen had mumbled something about a headache a few moments prior but that could also be down to how he was physically hanging inside the toilet at this point. Not even bothering to sit back upright when he was finished spewing anymore, just staying there in defeat with his face inches above the rising level of puke. However more importantly it was looking very unlikely that Chen would be able to keep the tablets in his system long enough for them to take any effect. Slamming the door shut in frustration Xiumin groaned audibly when it only swung open again immediately after, so with a pained laugh he pushed it shut and merely stared at him reflection in the mirror-door hybrid for a moment. He rarely ever got sick, hell he couldn't remember the last time he'd had a cough or slight sniffle for more than a day if even that. Which meant he needed to talk to someone who knew how to take care of other people, even if it meant his doom in the process.

Moving to the open lounge area now Xiumin began to pace around in an almost circle as he stepped over items and trailed his fingers over any surface he could reach. She'd failed to pick up on her actual phone which left him with no option but to try the home phone, that's how desperate he was. Thankfully it engaged on the fourth ring.

"Mum? Mum that's you right? Sorry-yes-no I haven't forgotten your voice- no its just that I- no no mum I just never have to ring the home phone! I was worried I'd dialed it wrong! Look I'm sorry to be calling so late but I-I you see I have a bit of a, kind of like a problem." Ten out of ten already regretting this. God she was going to ask so many damn questions.

"Fine, lame excuse but I'll let it slide if you visit soon, so, what is it? You are alright aren't you, you sound fine, are you fine, are you-you did something happen? Are you hurt?" His mother's worried voice crackled through the speaker of the phone now that she could finally get a word in edge ways.

"Hey hey stop it I'm fine mum, promise! It's not about me, you know Chen right? The guy I mentioned that I was going on a date with- no I swear I did! No -no don't worry, forget it! Okay, start over shall we hmm? There's this guy, Chen, I went on a date with him tonight and well he's currently puking in my toilet." Xiumin paused while a very uncertain and loaded "Riiiight, so..." came as his reply. "It started at the restaurant, we um both ate the same thing though and I feel fine, he said he didn't want to go to the hospital and waste their time but I'm not so sure. How do you tell the difference like between food poisoning or an allergy or something?" Xiumin asked, hoping his mother would be able to provide him with an answer.

"Oh uh, right, okay. If it was a proper allergy he'd be swelling up by now I imagine Xiumin, just go and have a looksie and tell me, like maybe his face or throat?"

Quickly peering around the corner Xiumin let out a sigh of relief at both the lack of visible swelling and at the fact that Chen seemed to have momentarily paused. "Nope, none that I can see, breathing fine and all."

"Well then its mostly likely food poisoning or some kind of intolerance possibly? What did  you eat- because unless it was under cooked chicken or shellfish of any kind I imagine he'll be fine."

"Really? He doesn't look fine right now."

"I bet Min, truthfully there really isn't much you can do, like any medicine or food you give him he'll just throw it back up again. It's probably best to just let him get it out of his system, he might be able to keep down some simple foods tomorrow but it depends how bad the food poisoning is. Is he just throwing up then?" His mother rambled after pausing to think for a moment.

"I think he has a fever as well, it's just strange because I ate the same thing and I'm fine. Maybe it's a mild food allergy and not food poisoning then?" He asked though none of it was really making sense to him leaving him even more lost than before he first phoned his mother.

"I mean, well uhh, I'm really not the best person to ask Min, dare I say google it? I reckon as long as its not chicken or shellfish that you ate it can't be- like its probably not really bad food poisoning and if he's not even swelling then it's probably not a bad allergy either. But it's gotta be one of the two, so just keep an eye on him and you'll have nothing to worry about."

Oh yeah besides the undeniable worry and panic for both Chen's health, his carpets and apartment warranty, and for what the neighbours must be thinking right now as Chen was yelling his name from  the bathroom. The apartments all had pretty thin walls and if the situation sounded bad in his head it probably sounded worse to Mr and Mrs Langley upstairs. "So just let him puke it out, and get the fever down pretty much? And if I cant, like what? Then go to the doctors?"

"Definitely don't give him any food then, you have to starve a fever. Chen needs to just sweat it out of his system basically. If you notice any swelling you have to take him to the hospital right away, but I'm sure you know that already. Though at least with either of the possibilities it's not contagious so you can take care of him without catching it." The woman listed on before continuing with "speaking of taking care of him I'll let you get back to it, but don't worry I know exactly how to get vomit stains out of carpets I was quite the party fanatic as a teenager one time I even d-"

"Yes- no- stop please- yes thank you, I think that's enough I really don't want to know thank you! I think Chen's going to lose his voice if I don't go see him soon he's been shouting for a few minutes, so thanksbye!" Xiumin rambled on hurriedly, not really wanting to hear his mothers stories but now that he'd ended the call he didn't really want to find out what would greet him in the bathroom either. So the result was him awkwardly lingering in his own corridor, too scared to go in as he pointlessly fiddled with one of the paintings hanging on a wall. But he'd have to face the music eventually.

Turning his attention fully back to Chen Xiumin could hear a stomach turning mixture of vomit splattering, choking, crying and panting, all mixed in with slurred versions of what he could only guess was once a name. Not a pleasant combination. Still fearing the bathroom he softly called out to Chen that he hadn't gone anywhere and that he was getting the apartment ready and would be done soon. When in reality he just wanted to hide a bit longer.

With eyes downcast watching his steps as he made a mental list of all the supplies required Xiumin slowly walked to the kitchen to begin collecting them all. Placing a palm on the cold granite counter top he then hiked a knee up onto the surface as well before giving one last push to surge himself upwards till his fingertips made contact with the small box of matches. Candles would possibly help the smell, of course he'd open up the windows for a while too but the wax needed to melt and heat up before it could really emit any scents. He didn't really care what the end product of sandal wood, lavender, vanilla, and cinnamon were and quite frankly he didn't care; anything was better than sweat and sick. Even going so far as to light his own personal favourite candle beside his bed after removing the nearby magazine and stashing it away in a drawer because there was so not going to be a repeat of setting the alarm off ever again. Next came all the windows, pushing them as wide as they would go and ignoring the reddened patch of white skin the had appeared near the inside of his elbow from where he'd caught it on the frame whilst lowering himself off of a chair.

Returning to his bedroom Xiumin paused deep in thought. He couldn't exactly kick the poor man out after all this time so naturally Chen would have to stay here. Meaning he'd also have to sleep somewhere. It would be extremely rude to make a guest sleep on the sofa but Xiumin was really quite attached to his very clean, very comfy, and not puke stained bed and sheets but there was no other option. Plus his own bedroom had an adjoined bathroom, meaning that Chen wouldn't have to blindly hunt for the bathroom in the middle of night and end up throwing up all over Xiumin's face because he got lost. So there was no other option, he would take the sofa and Chen would take his bed.

Thus began his new little mission to hide absolutely everything of any worth that he didn't want to get infected and or covered in that gross substance. The plush fleece throw and brushed cotton duvet were swapped for simple cotton and the spare blanket that had been buried under the bed. Some might call him a snob but there was nothing wrong with sleeping in comfort and wanting to preserve the quality of that comfort. Comfort was expensive when it came to sheets. Clean washing was also then tucked in various drawers and slid onto hangers; a growl of frustration leaving him when he attempted to pull out one free hanger and ended up bring three more with it as all the jumpers fell to the bottom section of the wardrobe too. It always happened when you were in a rush, it's like the hangers just knew somehow. Once that mess was cleared away he collected all the unfinished and dogeared books and returned them to the high shelves above the head of his bed, knees sinking into the mattress as he did so. The only thing left on the surfaces were photo frames and the odd trinket picked up from god knows where, leaving Xiumin with plenty of room to fill them with supplies. 

Padding back across the soft carpet socked feet met cold hardwood flooring as he migrated into the kitchen. It was probably safest to locate some makeshift sick bowl in case Chen didn't make it to the bathroom. So with knees cracking with the movement Xiumin squatted down to peer into the cupboard beneath the sink. There was an large plastic washing up bowl that had morphed into a container for various sprays and bleach placed at the far back corner. And after battling to get it out without knocking everything over Xiumin stood once more to fill a few bottles with water before returning to the bedroom once again. Finally the same lap around the flat of rummaging in the kitchen, peering into the bathroom to check on Chen, then hiding in his bedroom for a while was made. This time its reason was raiding the freezer for ice-cubes to hopefully bring down the fever enough for Chen to sleep. Although this was immediately followed by locating a few washcloths from the linen cupboard but with that it was finally deemed that his bedroom was fully equipped to take care of a sick person. But maybe too prepared?

 _Am I going overboard? Is this weird, am I being weird? Wait am I actually being weird? I can hardly just toss him back outside like shit what am I supposed to do with him in this situation?_  Xiumin half thought and half muttered under his breath as he paced back and forth.  _It's not as if he's a stranger? It'd be weird if I didn't know the guy but what its been like a month since I first met him? Yeah a month, he's not a stranger, this isn't weird. No no I'm definitely doing the right thing._

After a quick deep breath to rid himself of thoughts such as that Xiumin finally returned to the doorway of the bathroom with the intention of keeping his feet firmly planted there instead of just passing by with a quick check. The sight that greeted him was not pleasant in the slightest. Chen was paler than before, eyes red raw from crying, and a chunky orange paste was both dripping off of his chin and onto his shirt as well. A sister pile of the putrid substance was next to the toilet as well. 

"Hey buddy...I'm back now. How're we doing? How we feeling?" A feeble glare was that answered Xiumin, obviously not appreciating the feigned enthusiasm. "Yeah I know, I hate it too, are you okay though?" He asked gently after crouching down next to the sick male in question.

"Do I look like I am?" Chen bit out as he stared tiredly up at Xiumin.

"Stupid question sorry, are you feeling any better than earlier then I guess?"

"I haven't puked in three minutes-" pausing as he attempted to raise his fists above his head in celebration "-It's a new record, go me!" Chen hissed with fake enthusiasm and some weird form of sluggish jazz hands. Xiumin clearly appreciating his sarcasm just as much as he enjoyed the other's stupidly kind voice from before. "I keep getting hot flushes though, and I'm I'm like dizzy and maybe a little confused but for like just a second, and each time I get one of these things it just gets hotter and hotter I really don't know what to do, it's never been as bad as this before, oh shi-shit, another one now." He whimpered, strain evident in his voice as pain consumed his body. "It's just so fucking hot, I feel so gross Xiumin I'm so fucking hot I actually feel like I'm going to melt, or burn, or like something else that's nasty." Chen hissed in between pants. 

Xiumin placed a hand on his forehead and visibly winced as the strong heat engulfed his palm. Chen was right, he was absolutely burning. Xiumin quickly wiped Chen's mouth and shifted so that he was right beside the poor, trembling boy. "What do you mean never been this bad-"

"It's like a food intolerance type thing but I'm just like really sensitive to it, think of it like IBS, so like when I eat something my stomach doesn't like everything gets sent out."

"Right, right okay I'm with you. So is it all out? Do you think you're done puking for the minute? Because what I wanna do is move you to my room okay? I have a um ensuite type thing, its a smaller bathroom attached to my bedroom that you can camp out in. I've got a bowl you can be sick in if you can't make it to the bathroom near the bed too, but if you are done vomiting for now I think we've gotta try and focus on getting your temperature down okay? Yeah?" Xiumin soothed gently. Once Chen had nodded weakly he began helping the other to stand on shaky legs with one arm wrapped securely around a narrow waist and the other braced against his ribcage with fingers spread wide to keep him upright. Walking down the hall those few meters was a mission in itself but Chen was at least trying to help by steadying himself on the adjacent wall, hand sliding along the paper with a soft hiss with every step. Depositing him on the bed was precarious too as Chen immediately tried to lay down but Xiumin just gestured wordlessly to the mess covering his shirt. 

 _Jesus fucking Christ this is embarrassing._  "Uh Xiumin? Can you help me with um- can you help take my shirt off, I can't do it." Chen ground out in embarrassment as he had been attempting to undo the same button for about a minute but his hands just wouldn't stop shaking.

"Um if it's okay then I think I'm gonna take well like everything off? You uh, you've kinda puked a little bit on your trousers too. I mean I have some sweatpants you can borrow it's just like if you're okay with me doing this?" Xiumin asked, feeling incredibly awkward. "I can just get the buttons and the zipper and then leave..." He wished that the question wasn't the only thing was hanging right now, hell if the light fixture was sturdy enough. This would definitely be a first date to remember. It started off innocently enough with all their little flirtatious escapades at work, but now he was sat here taking care of him while he puked, and they theoretically never even finished their first date.

Looking back to the other's face he saw Chen nodding regretfully at him so he took this as his queue to sit down beside the other and begin unbuttoning the shirt. At least Chen was just as pained about the situation as he was. His fingers fumbled with the buttons nervously while he tried to avoid awkward eye contact, body stiffening instantly on reflex as the other began fiddling with the hem of his now un-tucked dress shirt but he was glad Chen was focusing on something besides being slowly stripped. Once he had reached the bottom there was a quiet voice whispering "Just- yeah, just go ahead." So he gently brushed the shirt off of one shoulder and threaded Chen's arm back out of the sleeve. Next was the tricky bit, Xiumin rose to stand again and very carefully moved the shirt behind Chen until it came to his left side instead meaning he could fold it as he went. Effectively trapping any vomit within the fabric itself before he followed suit with the other sleeve until the shirt was balled up and placed by their feet. 

Xiumin could almost physically feel the heat coming off the other as he undressed him, palms had even become wet with it from the briefest touches and the sweat slicked skin faintly gleamed in the light. A breathy laugh escaped him when the other finally just flopped back onto the mattress with a groan. Then moving to kneel on the floor the socks came next before he began eyeing the leather belt with a surprising amount of fear. _It's gonna be fine, it's not like he's gonna be naked he'll just be in boxers for like two seconds I can deal with that. I'm not being weird, I'm just helping a friend._ "Can I? Or do you uh..."

"I'll get the belt so uh you just pull I guess- give- gimmie a um just one second."

"Hips up please Chen." He mumbled as lightly squeezed Chen's calves to try and make him move. Once the other had Xiumin started yanking the trousers down which slid off the sweaty body with ease, only tangling slightly around the ankles but Chen soon wiggled his feet and they eventually came off. With trousers and shirt in hand he wandered into the kitchen without looking back at the half naked form for a split second and put the clothes straight into the bin. He'd just have to owe Chen. And that's where he remained for a second, staring down at the bin as the lid automatically came to a close with a soft click, just breathing for a minute before he turned to the sink. Trying his absolute best not to audibly gag when thick, creamy liquid washed off of his fingers and curled around the plug hole. With a towel in hand Xiumin wandered the small apartment, tucking the fabric under one arm briefly while the other rose upwards to pull the windows shut. Thankfully most of the candles on the coffee table had just extinguished themselves but those that hadn't he quickly blew the last wisps of a flame away. 

When he finally circled back around it took a lot of mental negotiation before Xiumin finally peered around the corner, it just felt so wrong to look at someone in a state as vulnerable as this. But it was kind of serene to watch Chen for a minute, no quick remarks, no smug grins and playful eyes. Just laying there calmly for the moment, eyes closed and spread eagle across the bed. Xiumin couldn't fight back the faint laughter when Chen turned and buried himself in between his pillows and snatched another one purely to hold against his body.

"Oi don't you be laughing at me! How long have you been standing there? Yeah never mind me it's fine, just laugh at my misery instead!" Chen whined as he clutched the pillow even tighter to his body, fabric rustling as he did so.

"Not long really, was just nice to see you finally shut up that's all. You're not too bad now are you? You want some fresh clothes to put on?" Xiumin asked once he had wandered further into the room, grabbing a pair of sweatpants from the cupboard and waving them in the other's general vicinity.

"Nah forget them for just a second, I'm getting really warm again to be honest."

Xiumin wished, really wished that Chen would have just said yes to the damn sweatpants. Or some shorts, maybe even just a t-shirt, anything to cover himself up by even the slightest amount. Because now Xiumin had to look at his practically naked but boxer clad form that didn't really leave anything to the imagination for the rest of the night. He did try in earnest not to let his eyes linger for too long but there was definitely some aspects to be appreciated. It was now inherently obvious that Chen worked out, maybe not as much as Xiumin did as most of his spare time was spent there but there were still some clear signs. The moderate beginnings of an upcoming six packed faded in and out of view as Chen panted, slowly dragging in great breaths of air before forcefully exhaling them once more. Lines of definition disappeared below the waist band of black boxers that led onto thick thighs. His arms were raised above his head, bending slightly as his hands fisted and played with the pillow case edge, the muscles of his biceps and forearms rippling beneath the surface whilst performing those actions.

Sweat still glided down his body as his chest heaved, and simultaneously a dark flush settled on the high points of Chen's face that later spread further downwards. Likely due to a spike in the other's fever which definitely wasn't what either of them wanted. Once his eyes finally traveled back up to Chen's face Xiumin realised that the other was just smirking at him, eyes fixated on holding his gaze. But that was fine, Xiumin had just been evaluating him, from a gym frequenter's perspective, purely professional.

Just a drawn out groan left Chen's lips to begin with. "Why couldn't you have just looked at me like that earlier, I would have been to distracted to even eat that way and we wouldn't be in this mess. Don't do it now when I can't do anything about it." He half whined. He had seen the way Xiumin's dark brown eyes had raked over his half naked form, he'd been able to practically feel the lingering gaze on his skin, and he'd even clocked the other swallowing nervously after he had spoken. But Xiumin did nothing but splutter before turning around and opening his wardrobe.

"Chen you can't try that crap on me now, you're sick, it doesn't really have much effect considering that I just watched you vomit for like an hour." He retorted with snidely, laughing when Chen only huffed in response, whining about how Xiumin ruined all of his fun. There was peace for a moment or too but the silence wasn't necessarily that comforting either. 

"I'm starting to feel kinda gross again, and as much as I don't really want you to see me puking again as it kinda ruins my amazing sex appeal but I keep getting like really dizzy like before, I actually think I might pass out so like this does not feel right." Chen mumbled slowly, stumbling over his words with nervousness. He wasn't lying, it wasn't a ploy to get Xiumin to pity him, he was genuinely starting to get worried. There had been times where accidents such as this had happened before but it had never been this bad really, although for all other instances he'd had a certain magic power fuel to blitz it out of his system. And there was very little chance of that spontaneously appearing. 

"Oh shit okay um um what do I do? This has happened before right? You're not like gonna seize are you?"

 _God I hope not._  "Just stay here I guess, it's coming and going for the minute- the feeling of it I mean, but yeah episodes like this have happened before and it shouldn't come to anything as bad as that, it never has before."

"Alright, long as you're not gonna faint like right this second then we're good. I'm just gonna get changed and I'll be right there, so just look at the ceiling or something." Xiumin ordered, waving his hand and gesturing for Chen to roll over liked he'd said.

"What you mean roll over and not stare at you when you're in a vulnerable state like you did to me before?" Chen queried while raising his brows at the now rapidly colouring other male.

"Hey like I wasn't staring staring! I was just having a quick look jeez, and stop making it out like I molested you or something!" Xiumin cried indignantly, pointing an accusing finger at Chen.

"I'm not saying you did! Just seemed like you wanted more than just an innocent little looksie and I know I'm not wrong." Xiumin snarled after Chen had spoken, apparently Xiumin didn't appreciate his teasing. Wonder why? Struck a nerve perhaps?

"Oh just go back to being a normal sick person and don't look!" 

Naturally now that Xiumin had insisted on it so much Chen just couldn't resist sneaking a few glances. He watched curiously as the other presumably undid the buttons on his shirt as all Chen could see were the muscles in his back rippling with the movements and then the dark material was just shrugged off till it fell on the floor. By god there had never been a louder sound than the zipper on Xiumin's slacks, it filled the entire room as he laid there with his eyes glued to the ceiling and his hands clasped tightly over his stomach. That rigid position was maintained until another soft rustle sounded as the trouser too hit the floor and the sounds of drawers sliding along their runners instead filled the room. Words were poised on the tip of his tongue, aching to tease and rile the other up but in this situation it'd just lead to nothing. An old word sprang to mind, long forgotten in the modern English lexicon but Chen couldn't fight it springing to the forefront of his mind. _Sphallolalia_ , flirtatious talk that leads nowhere.

But then all thoughts vanished as Chen's stomach joined the clothing on the floor, metaphorically for once as it wasn't a flow of vomit that left him but rather the ground beneath him. Or that's what it felt at least. To begin with that's all that happened, it felt as if his body was remaining still but the rest of the Earth was spinning without him. Perfectly content to leave him behind and carry on her way. He opened his mouth and well as much as a person could be aware of he felt the air moving around his tongue and lips as he spoke, only there was no sound. So he tried again, though realistically there was no use in asking "Have I gone deaf?" aloud if he had in fact gone deaf. But Chen carried on, rambling away out of sheer panic as the darkness started eating at the far edges of his vision.

Just one leg was securely in the sweatpants when Xiumin spun around in bewilderment as Chen pondered out loud as his supposed lack of hearing.  _What on Earth?_  With a rising sense of urgency Xiumin blindly tried to shove his leg into the other hole and hoick them up to his waist, all while he half fell and half hopped towards the other. His knees burned from where they'd been driven into the carpet with forceful urgency but that didn't matter because Chen's voice was a rising crescendo filling the room with a stifling sense of panic. "Chen? Shit Chen! What is it, what's wrong?" When no response came Xiumin immediately reached out and placed a tentative hand on the other's shoulder, shaking slightly as he did so. Some pillows and whatever photo frame that had once been on his bedside table was now on the floor, violently flung from its usual home during Chen's flailing in response to his gentle touch.

"Xiumin? Xiumin I can't see- I can't like everything's gone black and and I can't hear anything either I don't know if you're saying anything but I can't- I can't see- it's just nothing!" He sobbed, chest rising and falling at a dizzying speed as his arms swung about the space wildly once more.  _Jesus Holy Christ I am so fucked what if I actually die? What if I actually like die? I can't die, I can't die but God I'm gonna come close to it, I didn't even eat that much of it shit **shit** fuck. _The pain was back too, ripping through him like lightening; Chen felt like he had been charged with a thousand bolts of electricity and the heat from that immense power was making his skin bubble and peel from his very bones.

"Fucking- right shit right okay, um, shit, ambulance? Do I need to- where's my phone? Shit where's my phone?!" Xiumin shouted as he grabbed one of Chen's flailing arms and pinned it to the bed, the other had a death grip on the flesh of his bicep. With a heave and a yelp of panic Xiumin tried shoving Chen further over into the centre of the bed so that he could kneel beside him. If Chen truly couldn't hear anything then he needed as much physical contact as possible to quell the justifiable fear consuming him, so Xiumin tried to plaster himself to the other as much as he could. 

Chen relished in the body next to his and the comfort the physical touch and warmth it provided him with, so he couldn't resist burrowing further into the lap he'd been pulled into. "Say something, anything, please." The sound of his own breathing had never sounded so good before, or the rustling of cotton sheets beneath them.

"Um shit I don't know- hello? Can you hear-"

"Thank god. I've never been so happy to hear someone's voice before."

And that's where the two of them remained while time sluggishly trickled on by. Xiumin just listening to Chen's breathing that gradually evened out once more and watching the tension slowly liquidate from his limbs and features. It did ebb back in waves occasionally; a crease between full brows forming as breaths got heavier, fingernails audibly scraping on the mattress as the sheets were clenched in a tight fist, or a faint tremor that overtook Chen's somehow tiny form. It was so strange seeing someone usually so vibrant and full of life reduced to just a frail shell. But that too passed, and soon bloodshot eyes were focusing on Xiumin once more with a watery smile. "Feeling any better?"

"Nope not at all, I'll just have to stay here forever." Chen finalised as he faintly grinned up at Xiumin. Then rolling over so that he was on his back between Xiumin's legs, head still propped up on one of the other's thighs he tried a more reassuring smile. Reaching up he brushed the hair out of Xiumin's face and pinched his cheeks before tugging them upwards. "C'mon gimme a smile, I'm alright, I'm still feeling warm but the pain has mostly gone, I'm feeling better I promise."

"You had me so damn worried, you idiot." Xiumin scolded but honestly he felt like weeping with relief. Right now Chen looked like a cat curled up between his legs, resting peacefully, but that was a different story a few minutes ago. The sight that greeted him previously was horrifying. Chen was writhing in the bed, arms swinging wildly around him while he shouted mixtures of "Xiumin!" and "Help me" whined feebly. He'd tried everything, whispering soothing words- though they'd be of no use and essentially were for his own benefit more than anything, he even played with the other's hair or rocked him gently but nothing worked at all. He eventually settled for resting his arms on Chen's back to rub circles into the bare skin, praying that it did something. A few mumbled pleas to whatever deity he could think of had even sneaked out when Chen became deadly silent, only panting and whining but never responding to anything Xiumin said to him. The thought was constantly in the back of his mind of whether he should be calling an actual professional but he didn't want to be the boy who cried wolf. But hopefully they were out of the woods now and through the worst of it, if it happened again Xiumin would definitely not hesitate to phone for help.

"Oh really? Are you that attached to me already?" Chen commented while he pulled one of Xiumin's hands onto his own chest and began idly playing with his fingers, eyes curiously watching fingers bend and tendons stretch.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that, but only a little bit, not like I was absolutely terrified and panicked beyond belief or anything." Xiumin squeezed out jokingly, but a squawk of surprised slipped out as Chen rapidly rolled over and sat up, kneeling between his own spread legs.

Chen's cold heart swelled at the thought, or it would have if it still had the capability to do so. "I'm really sorry I worried you so much, I think it was just a combination of like the drinks and mainly me reacting to the food and- but also like just me generally panicking and obviously then the fever as well. I mean, there was a lot going on and I'm sorry I ruined our first date."

"Hey hey don't do that." Xiumin could understand the apologetic stance Chen was taking but that didn't mean he would tolerate it. "You didn't ruin anything, none of this was your fault, I just wish you'd told me sooner that it was something that had happened to you before so I didn't phone my actual mother out of panic-"

"-Woah woah woah you legit phoned your mum over this? Like for real? You phoned your mum, that's the cutest thing ever." Coincidentally Xiumin was now refusing to meet Chen's eye and was seemingly very interested in a loose thread poking out from the waistband of his sweats.

"Yeah I phoned her when you wouldn't like stop puking and you just kept feeling worse and worse, you hadn't told me that this had happened before yet so I was worried it was a proper allergy or like food poisoning or something. I wanted to see if she knew anything, I hardly have anyone else I could call, I mean maybe my flatmates from last year-"

"You don't have to explain yourself Xiumin, I think it's very sweet that you did that, I'm just sorry I worried you and that I didn't tell you about all this sooner." He finished with a soft smile, hoping it seemed genuine amidst the white lies that were beginning to pile up. Although it was kind of true that this was a food intolerance, so that wasn't too far off. But now was definitely not the right time to think of everything Chen was lying to the other about, that would be a dark thought pushed back until later on when it became even harder to address it. Because that was definitely the smart choice. 

However, it was decidedly not a smart choice to think about things such as that on a delicate stomach as the anxiety was wrecking absolute havoc not just mentally but internally as well. "Xiumin, th-", he gagged, pressing the back of his hand to his lips Chen attempted to swallow it back down before speaking again, "-the bowl, the bowl now, bowl please-". Quickly reaching for the bowl offered Chen flung himself forward and vomited yet again. There was barely any food left in his stomach by this point so it was just acidic bile that was leaving him; his throat burning with every breath. He couldn't stop dry heaving though there was nothing left inside to see the light of day, at some point there was a dip on the mattress beside him and a hand rubbing soothing circles on his back appeared shortly after.

Eventually Chen felt safe enough to relinquish his hold on the stupid plastic bowl and Xiumin gingerly took it from his hands before walking away and disappearing out of the room. For a moment eyes followed that retreating figure, desperately trying to fixate on one object to stop the world spinning but it just wasn't working. So in defeat Chen dragged his body upwards until he was actually situated on the bed this time. Before his feet had been dangling over the edge with his head in between his legs while he heaved, but now a weary body sunk into the plush mattress with a groan. Pointedly ignoring how the sheets clung to his sweaty form. 

"Are you okay?" A voice announced from in the doorway, concern evident and Chen then realised he hadn't made a single sound in the past few minutes while Xiumin was busying himself with other tasks. Him being quiet was naturally a cause for concern. 

"Yeah yeah I'm alright, I don't think there's anything left to come out of me even if it tried to. We should be in the clear now." Even Chen himself hoped that the words leaving his mouth were somewhat truthful.

"I'll still stay with you until you fall asleep though, just in case. But if you wake up and you need me I'll be down the corridor and on the sofa alright? Shall I turn the TV on?" Xiumin asked as he sat down next to Chen.

"Thanks Xiumin, you don't have to but I appreciate it." His fingers pulled and tugged at the duvet as he spoke, undecided on whether he wanted to be buried underneath it to sweat out the fever or not. A few seconds ticked by and Xiumin still hadn't spoken, and with a quick glance in his direction Chen was met with a raised brows as if he was waiting for something else. "Oh the TV! Yeah, yeah sure that's fine with me sorry, not really with it at the moment."

Xiumin chuckled under his breath as he walked over to the bed and hunted for the remote in the second drawer of the beside table. It was by no means a large TV, just a decent sized one that sat on a cupboard on the opposite side of the room to his bed. A few little souvenirs and trinkets adorning the same cupboard top too. The plastic was cold in his grasp as he pressed the power button, briefly flicked through the channels until he settled on some police investigation show that was currently showing some high speed car chase. For the moment at least there was no disapproval from the other so Xiumin threw the remote and cringed as it bounced off the bed. He'd pick it up later, for now he wanted to focus on Chen again. Reaching over once more hesitant fingers plunged into the bowl of cold water that had been placed on the beside table a good half an hour ago and picked the soaking wet cloth up. By squeezing it and twisting it within a tight grip he rung some of the extra water out before placing it on Chen's forehead.

There was a surprised splutter at first but it soon morphed into a halfway combination of a groan and a sigh. Xiumin smiled to himself as he watched the tension flow of out Chen's features, slowly at first but gradually a look of contentment overtook handsome features. But that feverish blush still danced along high cheek bones, even spreading to the tip of a straight nose and down onto the other's chest. So he reached over once more for another cloth that had still been left within the bowl. He didn't ring this one out as much so it was still dripping when he placed it on Chen's neck and chest, dabbing at the warm skin. Xiumin repeated this process over and over until slowly but surely Chen started to return to a more normal temperature. 

"Are you feeling better? Are you tired yet, do you want me to turn off the TV?" Xiumin asked gently and Chen just gazed up at him in response.

"Yeah I'm feeling a bit better. I'm not that tired so we could always watch the rest of this show?" Chen replied with while still staring up at Xiumin. He just felt so much gratitude towards the other. This had happened before, the little sickness episode, and every single time Chen had had to just take care of himself. This was the first time some else had ever taken care of him and worried over him like this,  all while barely knowing anything about him. The blind trust humans could have never ceased to amaze him.

It was about half way through the show, just after the second ad break that Xiumin noticed Chen pushing away the now warm and soggy flannels in favour of hiking the duvet up around him. But considering that the two of them were sat on top of it he didn't get especially far. "You alright Chen?"

"Yeah yeah I'm fine, it's gotten real cold all of a sudden, is there like a window open or something?" Chen hissed out, body shaking with the sudden cold.

"It's probably because you haven't got any clothes on, I shut them all earlier Chen but maybe there's a draft or something coming through." Xiumin spoke while untangling himself from the other as he began moving to stand up, bare feet sinking into the carpet one by one but the his heel remained covered by the two sizes too big sweatpants. Firstly he closed the bedroom door to trap any heat coming from the radiator in the room, then Xiumin turned around and wandered over to the wardrobe to find another pair of sweat pants and a shirt he didn't like very much. Better safe than sorry in case it got covered in vomit. He briefly considered grabbing one for himself as well but he tended to always run too hot if anything. Returning to his original position of sitting beside Chen Xiumin then handed him the clothes before picking up the wet cloths off of the floor before they made a damp patch. Next the bowl of water was carefully lifted and he then made one of the many treks to his attached bathroom in order to pour the now luke warm liquid away and generally tidy up the room a little of any tissues and such.

Meanwhile Chen put the clothes on hurriedly, glad for there to be something other than just his bare skin to protect him from the bitter chill in the room. With the now extra warmth he felt the call of sleep lurking at the farthest reaches of his mind, and by god was he glad for it as being asleep meant he could just leave his body to sort itself out and he'd endure none of the pain. He then remembered Xiumin saying that he'd be sleeping in here and that Xiumin himself would be in the living room on the sofa, he did feel slightly guilty but as he slipped under the thick covers and practically melted into the soft mattress that feeling soon disappeared.

Finally returning Xiumin melted at the sight in front of him, more that just a little relieved that the other was finally feeling okay. "Tired are we Chen? You can go to sleep now then, I'll turn the TV off so you just rest. You'll hear me making some noise for a little bit as I need to get set up in the lounge but after that I'll be quiet and you can properly sleep, if you need me call me okay? Night Chen."

Chen only muttered in response as he as already half asleep, to far gone to see Xiumin smiling softly at him from the doorway.

*

Unfortunately, that blissful sleep didn't last anywhere near as long enough as it needed to for Chen abruptly woke up in the middle of the night feeling completely frozen. And he truly meant completely frozen, it was like his body had completely shut down. His fingers and toes were completely numb and it was actually difficult to move as his limbs seemed so unresponsive and sluggish. He tired calling out for Xiumin in a blind panic, because who wouldn't? If you woke up in complete darkness and couldn't move what would you do, but his throat was still somewhat raw from puking so his words were barely even audible. Which only panicked him more.

Attempting to fight against the invisible chains holding him down Chen did at least try to force his legs to move but they just felt like all the blood had been drained from them, making the muscles not even capable of functioning. His arms however had been crossed over his upper body while he slept, meaning they had the slightest warmth to them and were still somewhat functional. So with a pained wheeze he managed to maneuver them out from underneath the duvet, but the momentum carried on and he ended up striking a few books off of the nearby cupboard. The thud echoed about the motionless apartment and he just hoped they had landed spine down or something otherwise the pages would be all smushed and ruined. The pleasant surprise though was that after no more than a few minutes after the little accident did he see a bleary eyed Xiumin standing in the doorway.

"Chen? Was that you? Chen what happened are you okay?" Xiumin asked groggily. As soon as he heard the commotion he'd immediately woken up, cursed his good hearing, and then realised that it must of come from Chen in his room. The thought spurred him into action as he threw  the blanket off and shuffled down the hallway. He looked down after Chen had pointed down to the books with a wobbly hand and sighed before walking further into his room to pick them up and place them away from the clumsy male. "Chen you need to be more careful, how are you feeling thou -holy crap you're cold!" Xiumin blurted as he put his hand on Chen's outstretched arm and visibly winced at the sudden iciness that had engulfed his palm.

"S-so cold." Chen tried to say but it came out more of a breathy whisper than anything.

"I can see that Chen! Oh god hang on- wait have you lost your voice? How long have you been calling me? Did you knock them off on purpose, I'm so sorry that I didn't hear you, stay put and I'll get blankets." Xiumin proceeded to leave the room and grab any spare expanse of fabric he could ranging from towels to his dressing gown before returning to his bedroom and dumping it all on top of Chen. The other continued trying to speak but nothing seemed to be coming out so Xiumin sighed and leant in further aiming to catch even the slightest part of what the other was trying to say. His knees cracking as he squatted down to be eye level with the other. But the only response he got as trembling fingers reaching out to touch him, like tendrils searching for warmth. Hissing as they made contact Xiumin allowed his knees to fall to the carpet as well to avoid himself being pulled in any further. The two then remained there in an almost stalemate for a few moments, eyes now finally choosing to adjust to the darkness and soon Chen's face came into view. Illuminated by just the faintest touch of moonlight.

"Please?" Came the softest whisper, the smug grin so characteristically Chen came back into view and then it finally clicked within Xiumin what the silent question was.

"Oh you're just evil aren't you. I'm not going to do it, you'll warm up in a minute with all this extra stuff on top. C'mon, don't make me do it."

"Please?" It was more drawn out this time, begging and pleading with its soft whispered vowels.

"Fuck sake. Ughh, I don't wanna do this. You'll have to give me a minute Chen, I need to mentally prepare myself for this, oh god fuck you're so cold this is going to suck some serious balls." Xiumin spoke mainly to convince himself to go through with it before he gingerly lifted the covers to slide in and sit next to Chen. He remained as stiff as a board as this little ice beast wormed his way into Xiumin's lap and latched on to whatever he could grab, though he did draw the line as cold hands creeping up his exposed back. Once the other was somewhat comfortable for the minute as Chen had finally stopped fidgeting he allowed himself to get settled as well by shifting up a pillow to rest between his back and the headboard. And that's where he remained for the next few minutes, willing himself to ignore the body sapping away all of his heat as he fought off sleep himself. Whenever he tried to extract his body from the other's hold Chen would just whine and complain so he'd just have to return to sitting beside the other.

"Just lay down Xiumin, I won't bite, unless you want me to."

"Shut it you, go to sleep." Xiumin immediately snapped back with without missing a single beat, though he did take the other up on his offer and slowly he sunk further down beneath the covers.

*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Readers! I'm sorry for the lack of plot development in a way, I just really wanna cement the relationship between these guys before shit hits the fan in a few more chapters, I want it to be as real as possible for you guys so you can enjoy it the most! But like yay! Things are finally starting to happen between them, annddd it might be getting a little steamy next chapter (FINALLY- sorry its just like a little pet peeve of mine when authors launch straight into a relationship with like no warning, like in real life theres a friendship there not just lust if you get me?) but enough of me rambling! Thank you guys for reading! LEt me know what you think in the comments and I'll see you next week!


	5. Cold Showers

In a post-sleep barely functioning daze Xiumin awoke to sunlight and fingertips dancing along his stomach, as well as a weight on his shoulder and another in between his legs. Looking to the left he found a head of dark hair resting upon his shoulder as well as a strange sense of comfort and happiness seemingly vibrating within him. The warm hand was tracing over the expanse of his stomach, nails lightly dragging over the bumps of muscle and ghosting across his hip bones as well before sliding back up to tap out the sound of his now racing heartbeat. His top half was bare for all to see and grey sweatpants hung low around his hips with the waist band of whatever boxers he was wearing peaking out from underneath them.

It so was idyllic that he swore he must be imagining it all. The person next to him was warm and they fit against his side perfectly, the early morning sun was filtering in through the window and it made the mysterious stranger look practically divine. It was just so completely perfect, Xiumin felt both relaxed and calm in that embrace and the extreme lack of space between himself and the other person wasn't turning his stomach at all, instead his stomach was full of butterflies beating their wings excitedly. That and a gnawing sense of hunger. So a regretful sigh slipped itself out of his mouth upon realising that this perfect dream had to end. But then all the events of the previous night came flooding back and Xiumin instantly realised who was next to him, immediately letting out a sort of low grumble in frustration.

The hand on his stomach instantly froze as the person to his left turned to look up at him guiltily.  **Chen** turned to look up at him guiltily, complete with red blossoming on his cheeks. "Ah um, good morning I guess, like, hey there, Xiumin, s-sorry, I didn't mean t-I didn't realise you were awake, I'm sorry." Chen ground out, voice thick with sleep. It was so deep and raw that it made Xiumin shiver with barely concealed restraint, his free arm that was curled around Chen was now fisting the sheets tightly.

Chen had immediately stopped his ministrations as soon as he'd felt Xiumin move, well he'd immediately sensed the other rousing from sleep but was unable to resist pushing his luck for just a little longer. He knew he'd been caught red handed, he knew that he shouldn't have given into temptation and resisted against touching the smooth skin on display in front of him. But instead Chen had marveled in every dip and curve of muscle, it was so strange to think that on the outside Xiumin looked so sweet but with his shirt off it was a different matter. Humans could be so deceiving. Everything about Xiumin just oozed pure man now, from the defined arms that had an actual hefty weight to them as one draped across his own narrower shoulders to the thick thighs that he was struggling to hike his own leg over. It was all right there on display for him, but Chen really should have respected Xiumin and the unspoken boundaries. So he allowed apologies to spill from his mouth as he immediately shifted away to give Xiumin the space he wanted.

Only to find that the moment his torso began to rise from the sea of blankets he was immediately pulled back into an even tighter grasp. He was no longer on his side next to Xiumin but rather sprawled across half of a broad chest, with one leg completely in between Xiumin's and an arm wrapped tightly around his lower back. If he still had one there was no doubt that Xiumin would be able to feel a rapid heartbeat through his chest, annoyingly though he still had the slight ability to blush meaning the only giveaway was the faint heat blossoming from his cheeks.

"I don't mind it when you touch me, plus, you were being quiet, and realistically I'm never going to say no to that." Xiumin mumbled, breathy chuckles escaping him at Chen's look of pure indignation in response. But the false act didn't last long at all because the two quickly molded together once more, only the occasional soft rustle of sheets and gentle thrumming of music from the upstairs flat could be heard for quite some time.

*

The next time Xiumin roused was by far less picturesque and calm, he immediately knew he'd been asleep for far too long and with a quick glance to his right it became apparent that they had slept until well past mid-day. A weary sigh escaped him at the thought of all that wasted time, but after the nightmare of yesterday Xiumin figured he was allowed the extra rest. Not that that gave him the excuse to laze about any further though despite how much he craved just lying there with that man. Perfectly warm and content. Though it seemed the decision was made for him when Chen began stirring, an almost snort interrupting his once peaceful snores as he awoke with a start. _Lovely._

Though to be fair to the guy it wasn't as if Chen was repulsive in the mornings, it was irritatingly the opposite . It was just this general cuteness combined with the way soft lips brushed his neck as they whispered a gravelly "Good morning." that had certain other things threatening to rouse and awaken as well. Namely a particularly aggressive one down south, so without any warning a still aching body was haphazardly stumbled away from the bed, though a hand immediately came back down towards the mattress to fight off the head rush. But at least no other kinds of a blood rush would be happening for Xiumin.

"Okey-dokey, right, well it's time to get up, I think it's time to get up now, no more sleeping Chen it's already the afternoon we've practically wasted half a day!" If a voice could physically punch it's way out of someone then Xiumin's would be doing just that right about now.

"Okey-dokey? Now that's a bit suspicious, what are you hiding Xiumin? What's the big rush for, your real boyfriend about to come home?" Chen teased, but despite the jokey tone he really didn't know what the sudden rush was for. All that he could tell that was going on with the other was a very rapid heart rate and a tiny bit of lust mixing in.  _Oh, bingo._

Xiumin really did not like the smile forming on Chen's face, so he retreated further away still until he was idly fiddling with whatever was on top of his dresser. "Nope, just think we should get out of bed now, get something to eat you know? Get our bodies going and all that, I'm getting really hungry."

"Hungry for what?"  _Oh, oh no, bad mental image, Not allowed to be hungry for that, oh no no no, so many laws, and Kyungsoo, god Kyungsoo would kill me._

"I'm not sure, what are you hungry for?" Never one to back down from a challenge Xiumin just couldn't help himself. The air in the room was beginning to shift as they spoke but he refused to break eye contact, well save for the few seconds he allowed his eyes to wander over the sight before him.

"I did say it was only fair for you to look at me like that when I could do something about it." Silence hung between them now, not quite awkward but just teetering on the edge. "So, can I?"

"Can you wha-"

"Do something about it Xiumin, can I do something about the way you're looking at me right now? I've been thinking about it, like all morning, like what would have happened if our date hadn't have been ruined by yours truly after all."

His voice was completely level and it just didn't seem right coming from Chen's mouth, he was jokey and happy and always teasing him. Never this serious. No one had ever focused on him this intently before and Xiumin really wasn't sure what to do with himself, or his hands, or his face. Sweaty palms eventually settled by clasping around the back of his neck, and lord knows what his face was doing because Chen was still just sat there staring so intently. It was just a kiss, that's all Chen was asking for, and it wasn't like Xiumin hadn't kissed plenty of people before so it was completely unknown to him as to why his heart was racing so much.

"You can say no, it's not gonna make it weird, I'm not gonna like up and leave." God this was getting painful.

"No of course not- no wait not no as in  **no** just no as in like I know you wouldn't do that..." Xiumin paused, his voice failing him but he couldn't stand the tension any more. "It's a yes to the other stuff, you can 'do' something about it."

"Right, well, okay, I thought I was being all charming and sexy and now everything is just awkward." Chen groaned, having literally no idea where to go from there. In defeat he threw himself back down onto the bed, his back meeting the soft mattress with a whoosh of air as his hands scrubbed over his face in frustration. "I'm sorry." There was no reply though, just a quiet padding of feet on the wooden floor before the bed let out a soft creak with the new weight. Chen could feel the heat from the other's body as a knee came to rest between his spread legs. Soon the mattress also dipped on the left side of his head and a shaky breath fanned over his face.

"Chen." No one could say that Xiumin never made the first move now, but Chen had to meet him half way. "Look at me." The hands covering Chen's eyes didn't move. "Fine, be difficult then."

To be honest, it oddly felt like Xiumin was giving Chen CPR which was a horrid thought for a first kiss. One hand was placed over Chen's hands that were covering his eyes, because if the other wanted to be difficult and not look at him then Xiumin was going to keep it that way. The other was resting along the side of Chen's jaw to keep the other in place. He barely even registered the feeling of lips against lips because the whole thing was just so weird. And clearly he wasn't the only one because now Chen was shaking with laughter beneath him. Pulling away Xiumin grumbled out an indignant "You brought that on yourself, you were the one being difficult!"

"Oh no no, that was a magical experience from start to finish Xiumin, ten out of ten for a first kiss."

"Shut up. Just don't."

Chen only smiled in response, a soft and gentle grin forming as he reach upwards to smooth out the stray-aways in Xiumin's hair. His hands soon came to rest on Xiumin's nape, not so subtly trying to guide the other back down. "Let's try again then yeah?"

Xiumin wanted nothing more than to wipe that smirk off of Chen's face so he did just that. Lowering himself he captured the other's lips once more with considerably more intent than the first time. This was the first kiss that Xiumin would remember, with skin underneath his fingertips that was very much alive and so warm to the touch.

The moment he felt the other grinning into the kiss Chen pulled back slightly and shifted so he could press closed lips kisses onto that still ever smiling mouth. Fingers still brushing over squishy cheeks as he did so. Laughter faintly trickled out of the other in response and if anything it only spurred Chen on further to pepper kisses all over the other's face, the plump skin yielding to his exploration across cheeks and a scrunched up nose. Though he did quickly join the other male in his laughter as Xiumin had begun returning the favour, albeit a little timid in his actions though. Abruptly the other dropped to blow raspberries on the exposed skin of Chen's shoulder, big, fat, sloppy ones that had him squirming away; his sides aching with laughter the entire time. It was quite possibly the most innocent and childish thing Chen had ever done in all his time on the earth, as long as you weren't using childish as a synonym for irresponsible and stupid of course.

"God what am I doing, I'm a grown man." Xiumin groaned, a flush of embarrassment settling across his face.

"Well I thought it was adorable Min, you're just full of surprises that's all."

Another groan sounded in response, and it was again in frustration. "I don't want you to think I'm, like, just cute or something, I'm a grown man!"

"Then why don't you show me how much of a man you are." Chen let the question hang between them in the air along with it's implications, the tension immediately rising once more until it was all Chen could feel.

"Maybe I will." Xiumin ground out before his hands latched onto Chen's forearms and yanked his arms above his head, the other had previously been propping himself up by resting on his elbows to avoid neck strain while gazing up at Xiumin. But now his body was being pressed into the mattress by the weight of Xiumin's own, lined up inch for inch as he brought his other knee onto the bed to straddle the now helpless male. Although he had a sinking suspicion that Chen could overpower him at any second but from the triumphant grin and almost growl that erupted from the other Xiumin doubted he wanted to.

"That all you got?" Chen purred, flexing his biceps to strain against the grip as his back arched off the bed in effort. "I said-"

In a flash Xiumin had lowered himself fully until he was chest to chest with Chen and had then leant down till his lips were brushing a red tipped ear. He opened his mouth with a retort at the ready but upon choosing to drag out the torture he let his lips graze the sensitive shell of Chen's ear just for a moment longer. To lightly bite the earlobe and smirk as the utterance was again repeated but had now lost all of its previous bravado, now broken and interrupted by sharp intakes of air. "I heard you, to be honest I was wondering the same thing. I can see what you're doing, trying to get a rise out of me, get a reaction, but if that's all you've got...maybe I should just not bother."

Chen let out a noise that was so borderline feral he could see the shock evident on Xiumin's face but that didn't matter, not now. Chen really never took well to being patronised and challenged, especially not at the same time. Bringing his knees until until his feet found purchase at the edge of the bed he used that as leverage to surge upwards to meet Xiumin's lips in a rough and violent kiss. But thankfully the other gave just as good as he got and met Chen at more than halfway, returning the kiss with a low growl and open mouth. The hand that wasn't pinning Chen down moved to yank on the dark locks and he couldn't help but choke out a moan into the kiss. That was all the opportunity Xiumin needed to test the waters with a tentative glide of tongue across his lower lip that was met with much enthusiasm on Chen's part in the form of his returning the gesture with a playful bite on Xiumin's bottom lip. At this stage it was just becoming a competition to one up the other, hands gripping tighter, lips pressing harder, chests heaving and minds reeling at the sensations.

Just kissing wasn't satisfying the hunger Xiumin felt anymore and he yearned to be closer still so begrudgingly he let go of Chen's wrists in order to reach down and indicate to Chen that he needed to wrap his legs around Xiumin's waist by lightly tugging on the other's thigh. With his new found freedom Chen was just all over Xiumin, with one hand he was thumbing along the shard edge of his jaw while fingertips sunk into the strands at the base of his neck. The other hand was painting his back with vivid streaks of red and he couldn't help but arch and shift his body to press his skin further into the slow drag of fingernails. All Xiumin wanted to do now was return the favour. So pulling back slightly his fingertips found the soft cotton hem of the borrowed shirt just as his eyes met Chen's, the implication of what he wanted was obvious but with how gone Chen was looking right now it may not have been. Chen's chest was heaving up and down and the flush that had initially started on those deadly cheekbones had now spread all the way below the shirt collar. Pupils were blown so wide they eclipsed the honey brown surrounding them, and they just barely managed to focus on Xiumin. But before he could say anything else Chen was already grabbing the offending material himself and was ripping it over his head without warning. There was a soft whoosh as it flew through the air and landed in a pile on the floor somewhere, but Xiumin wasn't paying attention to that now.

It was a weird experience in itself but god there was just this scent in the air that hit him the moment that Chen stripped the shirt off of his body. It was filling the room, driving Xiumin absolutely insane as a low rumble spilled from his lips. Immediately he brought his nose to Chen's neck and inhaled deeply before he realised what he was doing and how immensely creepy it was. So he quickly shifted to press lingering kisses against heated flesh which thankfully seemed to cover up the little dog sniffing moment back there.

"God that feels good." Chen moaned as he felt Xiumin surge forward and start lapping at his neck, tongue roughly dragging across his sensitive skin before eager lips replaced it and began kissing a trail from the underside of his jaw down to his collar bones. And then it repeated. And repeated and repeated until Chen felt his sanity slipping away, his mind consumed entirely by the feeling of hungry lips ghosting across his neck. Chen was squirming from the touch alone, body shuddering with every strained breath, his voice drawn out and high pitched, almost as if he was keening.

"Noisy boy aren't you?" Xiumin teased, briefly pausing his previous activities to poke fun at the other.

Chen huffed as he glared up at Xiumin, not even bothering to rise to that little jibe. _It's not my fault I get noisy, you're gonna pay for that you little shit, let's see what pretty noises_ ** _you_** _make_ He thought as he grinned up at the other, a thrill passing over him from the almost fearful look in Xiumin's eyes. Without any warning Chen rose until he was sitting up himself with Xiumin still in his lap, a hand coming up to rip Xiumin's head back by his hair. Completely exposing his target. "Let's see if you are as well then." Dragging his tongue across the skin he licked and bit up the flesh in a long stripe, starting at the dip above the collarbones and ending when his nose bumped the prominent jawline. He moved back down and repeated the process, this time pausing to suck on random places resulting in Xiumin making a surprised little squeak in the back of his throat which melted into a sigh of content. He smirked as he realised he no longer needed to fist the other's dark hair to expose the other's throat as Xiumin was leaning his head back by himself; obviously wanting more.

As he gave a tentative lick to Xiumin's Adams apple paired with a rather harsh suck on the same inch of skin Chen was rewarded with a low moan. But the beautiful sound was cut of by Xiumin clamping a hand down over his mouth, which Chen promptly ripped off. Grinning as he ducked back down and attacked Xiumin's neck with an open mouth only, teeth nipping at the skin while his tongue forcefully pressed and traced figure eights over the flesh. The sound Xiumin then made was unforgettable. He practically started mewling these little but frequent high pitched moans jumbled in with broken versions of his name. The hands now on his back clawed at his skin but he paid them no mind, it wasn't until the other almost shouted his name that he realised he had been biting a little bit too harshly.

_Shit, that was close-if I'd broken the skin, God_ Chen thought as he screwed his eyes shut, praying that they hadn't turned the unearthly colour that they always did whenever he got a little bit too excited.

"Sorry, I didn't- well I just got a little bit carried away there really." He admitted sheepishly, eyes downcast the whole time.

"N-no it's fine, rough is good, rough is uh verygood, just took me by surprise that's all." Xiumin wheezed out.

"Alright, it's pretty good too- for me too I mean, rough is good for me too." Chen whispered as he ghosted his lips across Xiumin's neck again.

There was a tense pause sneaking its way between them, Xiumin's tongue farting out to swipe over his lips before dragging a bottom lip back into his mouth. A groan of frustration came next. "And now it's awkward."

"It's only awkward because you're in your head too much Xiumin, gotta let go more-"

"You know that's easier said than done." Xiumin countered with, removing himself from the other's lap with stiff movements. Hips aching like some old timer from straddling the other for so long.

Chen grimaced, the situation turning delicate and serious far too quickly for his liking. "Hey hey it's alright, sometimes we just need a bit of help to kick back yeah?" Reaching for the other Chen hooked a finger into the waistband of grey sweatpants. Pulling until the elastic protested and the other had no choice but to come closer. The moment Xiumin was close enough Chen wound his arms loosely around the other's lower back and pressed soft kisses to the exposed stomach. A soft groan and mumble of how cruel he was sounded from above but Chen carried on with his innocent act. Never straying too far downwards, just nipping and sucking over defined abs while his fingernails lightly dragged over whatever skin he could reach. But still ever the gentleman Xiumin never tried to guide his head down any lower, hands merely ranked through and tugged on his hair to the point of pain.

"You started this Chen, you ought to finish it." Xiumin hissed through gritted teeth, never one to force anything on anyone but his control was slipping rapidly.

"But what would the fun in that be?"

"The fun would be in what's to come if you stop being such a tease, like you bent over the bed maybe, or you up against that wall, even in the shower maybe, shall I go on?" He growled down at the other, his hand gripping Chen's jaw and neck to force his head upwards.

Chen had to give it to Xiumin, he was seriously a born natural. It was a given that  **by god yes**  he had the body, the looks, the whole macho man thing really going for him. But it was the words that got to him to most. The deep and commanding voice washed over his body like silk as it whispered such sinful things. It was making his eyelids flutter and heart pound. Never before had he been so attracted to someone's voice alone.

But then when Xiumin was silent it was a whole different story, it almost frightened him, thrilled him, turned him on to the point of it being painful. God how he just ached for the other. Often when they were just out together Xiumin would suddenly stop talking and simply stare at him like he was all he could see, like he was the only thing he wanted to see. And then he'd just smile, and return to whatever he had previously started saying without a second thought. Chen always wanted to know what would happen if he gave in when that happened, because truthfully those pauses hadn't always been sweet and gentle, he'd felt the heat in that lingering stare more than once already.

Namely right that very second in fact, just as Chen was craning his neck back to meet the other's gaze, relishing in the fingers around his throat. Back home he was someone untouchable, someone so high up that no one dared lay a finger on him for fear of his father. But here, he could be at the mercy of another without second thought. It was so freeing to give himself over to someone else, knowing that no consequence would come of it. Plus, handing himself over to a human of all things had a certain taboo about it that he'd never felt before.

So ever so slowly Chen began raising himself up to his full height. Every few inches scraping teeth and lips over heated skin until his tongue was tracing the shell of Xiumin's ear.

"You'll have to do more than that to convince me Xiumin." All that Chen got in response was a borderline growl of words.

"Watch it Chen."

"Oh I want to watch you do lots of things Xiumin, please be more specific." This time he was met with silence, nothing but a muscle twitching in Xiumin's jaw giving any indication that the other even heard him. But it didn't remain that way for long. In a blur Chen was on his back once more on the bed, it creaked loudly beneath them due to the sudden weight and he was very sure that the hands on his wrists were gripping hard enough to leave actual fingerprint shaped bruises. So naturally, he fought hard against the makeshift restraint to irritate the other further. Because, like, why not. However what surprised him the most was how the human didn't really budge at all, but maybe his body was just giving into the submission his mind needed. As if a human could ever overpower him.

"I told you to watch it, don't push me Chen."

Still ever grinning as he spoke he immediately piped up with "But I can't resist when you're just so fun to tease."

"I don't appreciate being fucked with Chen, this act is getting old." All Xiumin could see what red, not in some weird psycho fit of rage kind of way but in a all he could see were the near dozen hickies littering Chen's neck and chest. Maybe seeing red wasn't the best description, it was more like seeing purple really. But when he saw Chen leaning back and baring his neck, so vulnerable,  _and submissive_  his brain concluded, he just couldn't resist. His control was slipping fast and it scared him. Sure some of it was caused by the attraction, and maybe by the connection that was undoubtedly forming but he'd never felt like this before.

He wanted Chen to bow down beneath him, to completely surrender and submit, he wanted to claim Chen in every sense of the word. It was sending pleasant licks of heat up his spine to see the other marked up, especially with the knowledge that he had done it, and that the more he rubbed up against the other the more he'd smell like Xiumin too. Then no one else would touch him.  _Mine_. Somewhere deep and isolated within him was practically writhing and it was just plain strange. It almost felt that momentary pause in time when you know you're about to be sick but you just lay back and do nothing. Or when you stand up too quickly and the room spins, and you know you're still standing up but you can't feel it. It was like deja vu and a head rush combined; his body just not feeling right. As if it was being tugged in two directions but just barely, just enough to feel an itch under his skin. The itch only growing the moment Chen writhed beneath him once more, thrashing around before huffing and whining at the futility of it. "It's not nice is it, not getting what you want hmm?" Xiumin soothed condescendingly, relishing in the anger in the other's eyes.

"Shut up then and let go of me!" He hissed, body still squirming under the hold, beyond annoyed that he couldn't make the other budge by a single inch. Until suddenly he could and for the briefest second he thought he even heard a bone cracking. _Shit fuck fuck was I using my full strength the entire time?_ "Fuck are you okay? Xiumin-"

"Sorry, I'm sorry, I think I've both been getting a little carried away this morning, I'm gonna go make us some coffee or something, get some fresh air, you can go freshen up and come find me in a few if you like." For some reason those words had really struck a cord within Xiumin, deep down he knew why but he knew that this situation was nothing like what happened to him. But it was just that combination of words that was all to familiar, running over his skin like an ice cold shower until the previous heat was fully extinguished. So with a few deep breaths he extracted himself away from the other and slowly moved to walk out of the bedroom.

"Hey!" A voice abruptly called out, and Xiumin quickly poked his head back around the door way. "This wasn't just on you, I wanted this too, so none of that 'I' got carried away crap, we both did." Xiumin only smiled and nodded in response before leaving the other there still half hard lying on the bed.

*

Xiumin knew the other was right, they were both adults in this situation for Christ sake, he knew he wanted Chen and he hoped Chen wanted him just as much. It was just perhaps a little too soon for them, admittedly he'd known others for a lot less and still hooked up but that was different. The whole thing between him and Chen was bright and intense, not necessarily in a scary way, but in the kind of way that he wanted to reign it in before all hell broke loose. Because deep down he knew that if Chen walked out of the bedroom butt naked there would be absolutely zero hesitation, it wasn't like he'd regret it later on or anything it was more that once this fire was lit there was no putting it out. And quite frankly he wasn't sure if he was ready for it. So he aimlessly pottered about the kitchen for about ten minutes or so just tidying up a bit while lost in thought before the abrupt realisation that he had no idea what Chen wanted for their very late breakfast.

"Hey Chen!" He tried yelling, wincing as his voice carried off of the bare walls with no response. "Oi!" Still nothing. Maybe even the faint sound of the shower running. He still winced at the cold wooden flooring beneath his feet as he made his way back towards his bedroom. Delivering a short round of sharp knocks to the ensuite door to finally get a response as the shower was momentarily shut off. "Finally! I didn't realise you'd gotten in the shower so I'll put a spare towel by the door, but anyways, how's your stomach? How're you feeling? Can you handle like a big breakfast? I'm really hungry myself so I might do a sort of like, a uh, mini full-English type thing? If you're down?"

"Any food would be good food right about now Xiumin, so yeah definitely, thank you, I'll be quick in here so I can come and give you a hand." Chen replied with, still trying to get his suds-filled hair to stand up in a mohawk only to have it still fail miserably.

"Great thanks!"

When Chen exited the very cold shower he was greeted by a fresh towel by the door as promised, and what he could only assume was a change of clothes laid out for him.  _How sweet._ Quickly shrugging on the slightly too small clothes he relished in the warm and content feeling that swept through him as he took a moment to allow his eyes to wander about the room. It was of a simplistic design. Crisp blue sheets contrasted the black metal bed frame, and a wardrobe and chest of draws in an bland cream colour lined the wall to the left of the bed. On the other there was a bookcase with family photos showing Xiumin throughout his life with his family and the dogs he had previously mentioned. Everything was neat and tidy, a small jar next to his bed held a tiny cactus and a few platinum rings were in front of it, he had decided their metal upon closer inspection. He had then tried to read the writing on the inside of the band but a loud clattering from the kitchen made him spin around in shock and he ended up knocking off the exact same set of thick books as he had last night. And just like before Xiumin quickly came running to check on him judging by the pounding footsteps nearing him.

"What did you do this time?!" Xiumin scolded at a sheepish looking Chen who was holding something in his hands. "Wait what have you got there?" He asked cautiously.

"Your rings, sorry I just wanted to know what it said on the inside. You have nice taste might I add, expensive taste but I like them." Chen added as he flipped the rings between his fingertips, examining the plain band and handling it with care.

"Expensive? Silver isn't that expensive Chen."

"This isn't silver Xiumin, it's platinum, it doesn't shine like silver does and it's not the right colour I don't think at least." Chen half told and half asked rhetorically as he placed the ring in the middle of his palm as he held it out towards Xiumin and gestured for him to take a closer look. The other rounded the bed until he was side by side with Chen and peered at the ring with disbelief.

"I got told it was silver when my mum gave it to me. Maybe she was wrong, I thought all the jewellery I had was silver but I guess not." Xiumin spoke with confusion evident on his face, why would his mother tell him that the ring was silver when it clearly wasn't? The woman had plenty enough jewellery to be able to tell the difference.

"Do you know what it says on the inside?"

"Nah I never found out, mum doesn't know either, but in all honesty she probably forgo-like I forgot the breakfast crap!" Xiumin squeaked out before he leapt over the bed and violently veered to the left and tore down the hallway almost crashing into the wall in the process. Chen burst out laughing at the retreating form of Xiumin, and he stepped forwards to clean up the mess that had been left in the other's wake. He placed the rings back on the stand, made the bed, and righted the now toppled over metal bin.

He grabbed all of his borrowed clothes from last night, bundling them up in his hands and he quietly left the bedroom in search of the linen basket which he found tucked away in a walk in cupboard at the end of the hallway. As he wandered back towards the kitchen he paused in the lounge, momentarily distracted by the television show but ran into the kitchen as soon as he heard a loud clanging noise.

As soon as Xiumin had entered the kitchen he had coughed due to the unexpected settling of smoke in the air, hurried steps had carried him to the window which he promptly unlatched and pushed wide open. Turning his attention to the cause he immediately turned the grill off and without even thinking about it grabbed the tray and yanked it out. As a result, burning fat splattered all over his sweatpants and the skin on his hands being scorched as soon as they touched the heated metal. He shrieked in pain as he let the tray fall to the floor and that was when Chen burst through the door.

"What happened? Did you burn somethi -fuck! Shit! Put your hands under the tap now Xiumin." Chen ordered as he shoved the bewildered male over to the sink and turned on the tap whilst guiding the trembling hands under the cool water.

Xiumin only hissed and swore in response. and when Chen turned to look at him he saw tears streaming down the other's face. He kissed away the tears without a fuss and placed himself as close to Xiumin as possible, molding himself to the smaller male's side and wrapping a secure arm around the narrow waist. "Where is your first aid stuff?" Chen asked gently after a few moments, and a mumbled response was all he got but he got the general idea so he immediately left to locate it.

Xiumin watched the cold water stream over his pale hands, soothing his burning flesh. But it did nothing to dull the angry red colour they had become, which after a few hours would probably blister and turn a sickening purple. Thank god he had the weekend ahead off at the cafe.

Smiling softly to himself as he listened to Chen running madly around the apartment, burying the thought of what exactly Chen had just knocked over and broken due to the smashing sound to the depths and far corners of his mind. Said clumsy male appeared in the kitchen once more with hands fluttering about his body and over his face, light kisses were peppered on the top of his back and shoulders as Chen looked down at his injured palms from over said shoulders. Questions were rapidly fired at him and Xiumin felt his heart swell with just how caring and attentive the other was, a little clingy maybe but it was incredibly sweet to be fussed over this much.

"Come on Min, lets have a look at you. You go sit on the sofa for a second and I'll clean this up best I can."

"Alright, thanks, just been a hell of a long week really."

Chen didn't really know how to respond to that one so he just gave the other a tight smile and gestured towards the sofa once more. After a few moments and an absurd amount of now wasted kitchen roll later Chen joined the other and sunk into the deep cushions of the grey sofa.

Looking down he saw Chen studying the burn marks intently before diverting his attention to rummage around in the medicine bag and upon finding whatever he was looking for Chen let out a small huff of triumph. Xiumin on the other hand was not as excited, immediately tensing when the other began coming closer to his throbbing hands with salve covering his own fingertips. He just couldn't help it, he kept flinching away the moment Chen was actually about to touch him.

"Xiumin, you need to sit still, it's only gonna get worse the longer you leave it, go run it under the tap for a while longer if it still stings." Grumbling as he walked away Xiumin did as he was told, and admittedly it did help. When he eventually returned and allowed Chen to finally make contact with the burnt flesh he only swore just a tiny bit. If he got a noise complaint he'd at least know why.

Chen meanwhile was focusing all of his attention on taking care of Xiumin, the burns slicing across the his palms left jagged lines in it's wake. The tender skin was swollen and puffy, and similar spidering lines ran across the middle section of Xiumin's fingers as well. The mere thought of Xiumin being in that much pain made Chen's stomach turn.

"Have you got anything easy to eat? Oh and maybe some painkillers?" Chen asked while he was packing away the little medical kit.

"Uh maybe some fruit in the fridge, painkillers are in the bathroom- the main one not the en-suite. Oh and can you get me some more sweats? Bottom shelf thing in the wardrobe!"

"Yeah sure but why? Are you that cold?" Chen queried with a confused look on his face.

"No no, when the tray fell it spilled hot fat all over me and I want to change out of the dirty ones." Xiumin admitted quietly. No sooner had he finished speaking Chen was standing in front of him with a change of clothes in hand. Wordlessly taking them he quickly slipped into the bathroom to change, not for privacy, but to not embarrass himself when he inevitably struggled to get the clothing off. Once the sweats hit the floor he carefully examined his lower stomach and thighs, thankfully finding only a few splotches of reddened skin from the hot oil.

As of perfectly on cue "The oil didn't burn you did it?"

"No Chen it's alright, you don't have to keep fussing over me it's not that bad, my hand already feels better!" He called back, hiking the sweats up over his legs gingerly. Better to be safe than sorry. There was disbelief written all over Chen's face when Xiumin returned to the lounge. "Really I promise, I'll be alright, you can get going if you need to, I think I have work in a few hours."

"Oh yeah, yeah sure um-"

"Not that I want you to leave, y'know, not what I meant but like yeah, thought you might wanna get on with your day." Xiumin grimaced as he spoke, a hand reaching to rub at his nape nervously but at the last second he thought better of it.

"No I know, it's alright, I think this whole thing has been a bit weird like me having to spend the night, it's not scared me off but like I'm real sorry for ruining our first date, but thankfully it seems that seeing me vomit for hours on end has not lessened your attraction towards me." Chen continued with cheekily. "I will definitely make it up to you though."

"You don't need to make it up to me, it's fine we can just go on another date or maybe I can cook for you this time -although it might be best if we go on a date without food involved."

"You've got a point there really, maybe best to have a more low-key date, not a big dinner together."

Xiumin suddenly thought of all the cute little spots around the city. They could do a movie date, there was a skating rink a little ways out that even doubled as a laser tag arena upstairs. There was an abundance of cute coffee shops and vintage stores buried in forgotten streets. "Yeah, there's loads we can do besides a dinner date."

"Course, I'll just got get my things now." Chen said slowly as he stood, not really wanting to make things awkward but it didn't seem like they had any choice.

"Oh okay, you're leaving right now then?" Xiumin asked.

"Yeah I'll let you get on and like bleach the whole place and get ready for work, don't wanna be getting in your way." He'd begun walking away but there was very little for him to collect, most the things he had worn last night we're now in the bin. His phone and wallet were on the kitchen counter, and that was it, he'd need to go and collect his car at some point too. If someone hadn't already towed it. "So, if it's Friday today, uhh, not this weekend or next really, uh well, Tuesday, or Thursday again? Saturday during the day? Pick one."

"Wait what, why am I picking out of those and what for?"

"Our date you idiot, those are the only days next week that I can do so if you want to have that second date anytime soon you'll have to pick from one of those days." Chen stated simply as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh! Right, okay, um maybe Thursday again yeah, or Saturday. I have no classes on Thursday but I do have the day shift." Xiumin finally summarised after pausing to think for a moment.

"Saturday is best for me, and I think there are a few new movies coming out on Saturday so we could have a movie date?" Chen asked with eyes downcast. "I promise I won't throw up this time." Throwing a small smile Xiumin's way as his hand rubbed nervously over the back of his neck.

"Yeah, I'd like that, so uh text me I guess?" Xiumin said with a bashful smile as he walked Chen to the door. Blushing as Chen's eyes seemed to hone in on his dry lips and Xiumin unknowingly licked them which caused Chen to groan.

"Xiumin." Chen warned breathlessly, "I know you're doing it on purpose and like I really need to go it's getting on a bit."

"Doing what on purpose Chen?" Xiumin asked with fake innocence as he sauntered his way over to him, looking up at Chen through hooded eyes. With each step he took forwards Chen took one back until he met the hard surface of the door.

"You're a little shit you know that, you know I need to go."

Xiumin grumbled but he knew that Chen was right so he settled for soundly pressing his lips to Chen's in a lingering kiss after deliberating for a few short moments. "Fine, get going then."

As soon as Chen had left he heard his phone buzz from somewhere within his now mysteriously colder, emptier, and quieter apartment. He found the bleeping phone and curled up on the sofa yet again with blankets, more water, and more painkillers, but still with an undefeated smile on his face as he read some stupid rambling text from Chen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Readers! So, like, wow! This chapter was huge for me! Basically, this fic was something that I started writing years ago and stopped updating because like idek, but I always wanted to continue with it. I never stopped loving writing I just lacked time and motivation. But clearly I have found a small sliver of them again because here we are! So, anyways, this chapter in the original fic was two whole separate ones, like guys, I have cut out around 11k! 1 1 K! to end up with what we have now, and like I took a lot of risks, I wanted the first kiss to be like realistic, and I wanted the speech to seem real, and I just wanted to get loads on the two of them interacting. So it would be the biggest reassurance if you could just tell me if this chapter works and it flows because I edited over and over to get this baby! So like please! Comment down below, and I'll see you next week!


	6. Horror Movies

The moment that door closed behind Chen he felt eyes on him, hard and heavy with disapproval.  _Ah, hello to you too, Kyungsoo_. Chen refused to turn around and seek the other out, if Kyungsoo wanted to bully Tao into using his abilities to spy on him then so be it. That didn't mean that Chen had to acknowledge such a childish act, although it was potentially equally as childish for him to huff and storm down the stairs of the apartment complex while throwing the finger over his shoulder. He knew that they didn't really understand it, his fascination with humans and their culture, yet he hoped they'd at least be accepting of it. Chen never once missed a formal event back home, never once failed to make an appearance by his father's side and always abode by both vampiric law and human law while he was in this realm.

Overall there was very little wrong in being on Earth this much, yes he was a little behind on current affairs back home but that could easily be solved. And yes, Chen might be a little weak from not feeding as often as he should but there were very few 'legal' places open anymore to provide refuge for vampires while on Earth. Perhaps even a little weaker than he had realised as Chen felt the heat of the sun burn a little bit more than it did yesterday. Which only meant that he would have to be returning soon. He had been planning on coming back over the weekend just to check in but now it was just pissing Chen off that it would look like he was coming back because of Kyungsoo. Who was  **still**  spying on him, the condescending prick. So naturally as Chen rounded onto a particularly quiet street in his quest to find his car he let his powers slip out every so slightly. Static built in the air around him until it felt as if it was literally thrumming with electricity which he knew would seriously fuck with Tao's portal. It didn't necessarily do anything to the portal itself, it was the act of super charging the area surrounding the portal that would cause havoc. As it would make the portal opening itself shift back and forth in the most minuscule of ways due to the molecules vibrating, and as Tao didn't have the full mastery of his ability yet he couldn't keep portals open unless they were in a fixed location.

So now it was one-nil between himself and Kyungsoo, providing the other didn't try and beat his ass the minute he stepped foot back home. Which was becoming more and more likely with every passing minute, so why bother delaying the inevitable. There wasn't even any point in going back to his apartment or finding his car, he'd get some looks but he'd be fine in Xiumin's clothes for a bit longer. And it wasn't like he even needed a cable to charge his phone with, it was honestly one of the most underused blessings of being a Descendant of Stroemig that he could just charge everything with the snap of his fingers.

"Tao?" Chen called out. "I know you can hear me." His voice had taken on that almost distorted tone that it often did whenever he called across the realms. It wasn't his craeft, well 'magic', that allowed them to do this, it was a combination of Zitao and Jongin's craefts that formed the spell so it never really worked that well for him. "Can you just bring me back to Mistide? Preferably not in father's office this time. And don't even think about bringing me to yours and Yifan's, or straight up dumping me at Kyungsoo's, because if you do, I swear if you do you can forget about going to fashion week with me- oh no, even better, I'll tell Kris you were going to sneak out with me to Earth without even telling me." He could practically feel the childish whine that he knew would sound in response, the sound travelling from his home realm of Naihtweard all the way to the Earth realm. "I'll assume that's a yes then, so get on with it please."

No sooner than he had finished talking did the very fabric of reality peel open in front of him, sliced clean in half by Zitao's craeft and sharp blue light slipped through until the connection was made from this realm to the next. Thankfully he could just about make out the shape of his actual bedroom back in Mistide so at least the other wasn't pulling anything funny. With that reassurance Chen took a step forward, not thinking about the way his stomach still lurched for the mere milliseconds that he was in limbo between the two despite how often he did this. Just very much happy to be home again, to really be home. Though that happiness was very, very short lived.

"Jongdae. This is a fucking intervention you little shi-"

"Fucking hell- fuck sake Tao! And fuck off Kyungsoo, what is your problem?!" Jongdae screamed, eyes flashing a cold blue as he shook off all traces of the previous grima he had cast to act as a glamour and make him look more human. Instantly his skin paled slightly, the whites of his eyes turning black too as the irises shifted from that warm brown to a steely blue, his clan markings instantly blossoming too. Unfurling like flowers on the backs of his hands, and slithering up his skin like vines until they circled his arms and neck. Overall it did look quite odd while he was still in distinctively human clothing.

"Me?! I'm not the one with the problem! Clearly you must hate your life here or something, or have some issue with us all-"

"Everyone's here!? Oh come on guys really!" He growled as he spun full circle, meeting eyes with Zitao and Kris on the bed, Jongin who was awkwardly stood behind Kyungsoo himself, and then Junmyeon who thankfully looked like he was just as happy as Jongdae to be suffering through this bullshit.

"Yes everyone's here, because you have a problem! It wasn't so bad before but now you're spending entire weeks there Dae! You're not eating well enough I can already tell just by looking at you, if this is some existential crisis and you want to be human like you're in for a harsh wake up call!" Kyungsoo bellowed, the walls damn near shaking from the force of it.

Jongdae hissed through gritted teeth in frustration, "I met someone! Okay! A human, a teeny tiny, helpless, pathetic little human and I don't get it either, but, but I like Xiumin, a lot!" The other seemed to deflate at that, just as Tao seemed to swell with happiness at the prospect of Jongdae finally finding someone. It was only him and Junmyeon that were the remaining unmatched descendants at this point and while the latter was one hundred percent a lost cause there was still hope for Jongdae yet. Hence the gleam in Tao's eye.

"That's- well, that's not even much better, that's a human Dae, a  **human** , you're playing a risky game just to get laid what if you get carried away?"

"He wouldn't." Junmyeon butted in with, nods of agreement coming from the couple on the bed.

"Yeah, damn right I wouldn't, which is why this isn't about getting laid, Soo, I  **like** Xiumin."

A look of pure disgust overtook Kyungsoo's features with that and it only pissed off Chen even more. "You can't like, like, a human Jongdae, that's ridiculous, and stupid, and a worthless- it's a waste of time. They'll be gone in what feels like a month to us."  _Does he honestly think I don't know that?_  Chen thought bitterly, it was often something he pushed to the back of his mind when he was with Xiumin to avoid spoiling what short time he did have with the human. "They're so fragile Dae, they could be gone in an instant."

"I know that, by god I know that, and they're so- so damn stupid, he burned his hands really badly and I could feel how much pain he was-"

"He?" Tao asked eagerly, a stupid smile on his face that was, you guessed it, really pissing Jongdae off as he paced back and forth in his own bedroom. He was a prisoner in his own home, and he needed out, now.

"Yes, he, Tao, it's a guy."

"Oh well at least you can't get the worthless thing pregnant then, that's one good thing."

Thankfully, while it was Tao's fault the entire thing was happening, he had been the one constantly facilitating Jongdae's trips so he did know that the vampire was genuinely beginning to care for the human. Which was why before another word could be said, and before literal sparks could fly a portal was opening up beneath Chen's feet and swallowing him whole.

*

Yifan really couldn't place what was making him so on edge, even Tao could feel his unease and was gently trailing fingers up and down his arm to calm him some. But nothing was working. It was just an argument, Jongdae and Kyungsoo argued all the time, maybe it was second hand panic at the prospect of falling for a human just to have them die? He couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose Tao, that was something he truly couldn't bear to think about. But he could not shake the feeling, it was like something he had buried deep in his memory that was slowly beginning to resurface like a half forgotten dream. A castle, a king, crisp white snow, and so much blood. Endless rivers of blood turning black with his toxic guilt, he could practically smell it from just thinking about it. But why that memory? Why now? Just as Yifan suspected the curse mark on his forearm he had layered infinite glamours over was glowing red faintly beneath it all. The draefend were awakening, ready to carry on the hunt.  _For who though? I took care of that, I finished the job, I saw the bodies, it has to be over, it has to, I have to keep Tao safe, I won't let them take him from me again_ Yifan thought. Tugging his soulmate ever closer.

*

Even though Xiumin had truthfully planned on doing absolutely jack that weekend it still irritated him no end that he had someone been forced into agreeing to cover someones double shift that Saturday. Plus it was the condescending tone that his boss had called him in saying something stupid like how he doubted Xiumin had anything better to do, which was really just the icing on top of this steaming and shit filled cake that had been the past week. First his dad, then the whole date night massacre, then the burns. Although the last issue had seemingly already resolved itself, confusing Xiumin to no end in the process. He had been expecting welts, gross blisters, and a disgustingly purple scar. But a mere day later than when the accident had first occurred they had mostly disappeared into faint red lines, though they were still a little tender to the touch resulting in a multitude of plasters covering his palm and fingers. The bastards were already starting to peel off and lift at the edges meaning they caught of absolutely everything and it was driving Xiumin nuts.

However **,**  there was somethingthat was far, far worse than the excuse of a plaster currently dangling from his middle finger. And that was the 'Saturday Night, Date Night!' promotion the boss had decided to implement. Xiumin had originally thought the idea was total garbage, it was something like get a half price small dessert when you buy a small drink from the Date Night menu. The larger the drink you bought the larger the dessert you got a discount on would be. But he had to give credit where it was due and the place was actually packed, mostly with couples of all ages but with a few groups of teenage girls were clustered together chatting away too. And nearly all of them had gone for the Date Night specials so all in all they were making quite the grand profit. At the moment though he was currently reeling off the new added script of telling customers to hashtag their photos with 'DateNightatTheSweetSpot' to hopefully draw in an even bigger crowd next weekend because it was without question that this would now be a weekly thing, especially as it was warmer so they could put tables out the front to get more seating available. Allegedly at some point throughout the night the staff should be taking a few as well and posting on the cafe's Facebook page to promote the event more and showcase how popular it was. Xiumin however was just using it as an excuse to keep getting his phone out to text Chen, even though their other did seem a little bit off to be honest and it had been hours since his last reply. And it only got stranger with the latest text that had just popped up on Xiumin's lock screen.

From Cheshire Boy: [RECEIVED 5:53PM]

Where are you right now? Are you at home?x

_Sounding a little like an overly possessive boyfriend there Chen_ , Xiumin panicked, baffled at why the other was asking him this.

To Cheshire Boy: [SENT 5:55PM]

Uh, I'm actually at work, got called in to cover someone plus it's actually pretty busy right now. Why?x

From Cheshire Boy: [RECEIVED 5:56PM]

Two seconds x

"Xiumin." Instantly looking up his eyes met Chen's and his gaze immediately softened. The other was still wearing his clothes and quite frankly looked like he was in the foulest mood ever. "It's okay, I know I look a bit rough, it's just ended up being a really shit day and I felt like being near you- I know I don't really have the right to demand any more of your time so I'll just get it to go instead-"

"-No no, that's okay, you can come to me if stuff is bothering you- like- I mean you let me spill everything about my Dad so I have no right to turn you away."

"That's very sweet of you Xiumin, but I've already got you in trouble once while at work, maybe I can see you tomorrow though..?" Chen let the question dangle in the air between them, the silence between them was fragile.  _So, so fragile, please just let it last for a little longer._ He begged.

"Uh, yeah, um well, no, no, yeah sure! As long as you don't mind coming with me to run some errands all day? I can cook dinner too if you end up sticking around."

"I'm planning on that Xiumin." Oddly enough, Xiumin didn't think Chen was talking about staying for dinner and the implications were making his cheeks flush with heat. "Right, great, I- I want you to, to stick around I mean."

"Thank you. Can I just get a double shot white coffee to go then please?"

"Yeah, of course you can..."

*

Chen did come over that Sunday and help Xiumin with everything that needed doing from cleaning the windows to doing a full restock shopping trip, and he did stay for dinner as well, thankfully keeping everything down this time. Funnily enough he then did the same the following Sunday as well, their second official date on that Thursday having been a total success and they did the same the next next, and the next, and then next. By now, two more months in making it the peak of summer, they'd been bowling, rollerskating, had countless picnics at the local park, visited water parks and theme parks alike, and about a dozen other things he couldn't remember. He was fairly sure that there was no longer a division between his clothes and Chen's clothes anymore from how many hoodies and shirts they swapped. But if he checked a certain album on his phone he kept for the two of them the memories would all come flooding back. The two of them had become somewhat official as of a few weeks ago when Chen realised he had never actually asked properly which led to much embarrassment on both halves but it was a good story to tell later down the line. They still did their Thursdays and Sundays, sometimes morphing into a whole weekend together though Chen was yet to spend the night again. But Xiumin was definitely thinking that that might change soon, it was getting harder and harder to stop themselves from going the whole way, though in reality there was no need to stop anymore. Xiumin trusted Chen, and was seriously falling for the other, everything was genuinely just perfect between them. Not a thing out of the ordinary.

However the same could not be said for his apartment, Xiumin was used to things not being where he had left them anymore now that he had given Chen a spare key but something was just off about the place. So despite the exhaustion Xiumin felt when he finally launched himself face first onto his bed after finishing a double shift, despite how his eyes were already closing and his breath coming out in even and slow exhales they flew open in shock at his surroundings. His room, for lack of better word, was  **strange**. There was seriously just something that he couldn't put his finger on, nothing was different yet everything was somehow foreign to him. In a weird sort of panic he stood up on the bed, feet sinking into the mattress and making him wobble slightly yet his eyes never wavered from scanning over every inch of the room.

It was the little things. The fact that the photo of him and his mother was leaning a little bit  _too_ far to the left. The clothing he clearly remembered folding was on the floor and not on the cupboard anymore. And the  **smell**. It wasn't pleasant, and it wasn't unpleasant, it didn't really smell like anything that he could put his finger on. It smelt like burning, the feeling of a building pressure seemed to dance around his head, but it was paired with the scent of wild flowers that reminded him of the first time he had ever met the Kim's. It smelled so incredibly familiar and his head started pounding at the feeling of deja vu, as if some distant memory was trying to claw its way to the surface again. It was as if it was expanding outwards, trying to burst free from the confines of his mind. Something was hidden behind his eyelids yet he just couldn't figure out what; it was exactly like when you know what the word is, that you know its on the tip of you tongue, that you know you know it, but you just  **can't** get it out. The only words Xiumin seemed to be feeling in the forefront of his mind were _panic_ , and  _run,_ which was more than just a little unsettling.

By now the smell was becoming unbearable, was something on fire? His eyes were watering as he somewhat blindly stumbled about the apartment desperately searching for the source. Bare feet padded into the living room and that's when he froze in place, utter disbelief at what he was seeing coursing through him. There was something that could only be described as a liquid cloud of pure darkness slithering about his apartment with worrying sentience until it slunk around his feet a few times. It wasn't a shadow for sure, and logically Xiumin knew it was there but from how utterly black it was it just looked like a hole into some abyss was just moving about over the floor. It had no dimension, no features, like a bone-less mass flitting about the place. It wasn't even touching him, it was just winding in and out of his legs. Occasionally distancing itself but as soon as Xiumin made a move or took so much as a step it would fly back and surround him once more.

"What  **are**  you?!" Xiumin shouted at the black mass before clenching his fists and hissing out a strained breath through gritted teeth. He breathed in deeply then after relaxing his jaw, trying to calm his racing heart as he bent his knees and reached out a tentative hand towards the mysterious being. He couldn't help but stare in awe come shock as the black mass stretched up, a long and thin, finger like branch drifted upwards. It continued lengthening itself until it was level with his hand and oddly it almost circled around his middle finger. The one with the ring on it.

Whatever it was then divided itself, separated and split itself off, a tiny portion remained circled around his hand while the other section slunk off to somewhere underneath his sofa. Every time he attempted to touch it it would fly away and dance in the air around near his head.  _Jesus Christ, holy shit fuck, okay, okay, maybe I can like, grab it? It looks solid enough, maybe, shit, I guess, fuck, what's wrong with me? Am I awake? Did I crash on the road?_

Xiumin shot his hand out and finally set the scream of terror that had been building run free. The thing was so incredibly cold that it literally burned him, stinging his flesh and turning it a bright red with blood before it began to blister and turn black at his fingertips. He flung the limb about wildly, desperately trying to get it off as he back pedaled down the corridor but it nothing worked. On instinct he immediately reached for it with his other hand, wrapping it around the throbbing arm and sliding it downwards hoping the wrench the being off of his arm and fling it to the other side of the room. But as soon as his other hand came into contact with the black cloud it burned just as it had before.

A high pitch wail echoed through out the room, but it was not from his lips. Nothing was coming out of his mouth, the pink lips hung agape in shock. The thing, the monster, the creature, the whatever the hell it was, was  **screaming**. Whatever body it had was burning from the edges, ash falling to the ground and the pitch of the scream only increasing until it fully disintegrated. And that was when Xiumin started screaming again for many. many reasons. The ring on his finger was glowing a brilliant blue, it was so pale that it was nearly white. It was emitting a pulsating sort of light that enveloped his entire hand before sending out thin tendrils that latched onto the other arm and then swallowed that limb too. He nearly crumbled to the floor as the light seeped into his skin, watching with unbelieving eyes how every inch of rotten flesh, every open wound, every fresh blister and welt instantly healed itself. His skin returning to it's original porcelain perfect state.

He turned his arms over rapidly, eyes scanning every inch as his mouth hung agape in pure shock. By now his hands were shaking, body wracking with panicked tremors as his screams died somewhere in his throat. When he finally looked up he saw the creature swirling around the dead piece of it's body, it shot towards him but it soon rebounded and smacked into the wall. It bounced off of him yet again as if it were being repelled by an imaginary force, by an invisible wall that he could not see or touch. The band around his finger was still glowing brightly but the brightness of his skin had dulled till it was barely noticeable.  The high pitched screech was back but it was quieter this time, and angrier. The thing seemed to be going haywire, smashing into the walls, the door, banging against the window pane and knocking things off of shelves and cupboards. It shrunk itself down as Xiumin neared it in small and quaking steps, the wailing only increasing in volume the closer he got. The expanding feeling in his mind was back with further aggression but he paid it no mind, all he could think about was how the black mass was desperately flitting about in the corner it was backed up into. That it would shoot left and right but never forwards, it didn't dare come near Xiumin anymore.

He thrust his hand forward and watched as the black mass immediately started glowing amber and crumbled to the floor, screaming all the while as the yet to disintegrate parts of its strange form writhed and rippled before it floated to the floor in large grey chunks.

Xiumin stared at the pile on the floor numbly before he too crumbled to the floor, scrabbling backwards on his hands and knees when the cloud of settling ash gave one last whine before it stilled completely. Just as quickly as he fell Xiumin was up again and running towards his bedroom, lunging over his messy bed to grab his phone. With shaking hands he typed in his passcode but he didn't get much further than that.  _Who the fuck do I tell? No one will believe me, I can't call the police, I can't call anybody but I need to do something, I_ ** _have_** _to tell some, oh god someone help me please-save me please_  Xiumin's train of thought ended when the looked down and saw the little plus one symbol covering the top left corner of his inbox icon.

**Chen.**

*

It was not impossible to guess that Yifan was considerably on edge today, and it was because that feeling was back. Only stronger than before, the need to finish the job as the curse commanded him to was nearly overpowering, but he knew he had done so already which could only mean that, that man, was going back on his word. So when Jongdae's stupid thing kept making that god awful noise he just needed it to stop, and soon, before he smashed the damn thing. "Oi, Jongdae, shut that thing up before i=I break it, it's driving me nuts."

"Everything is driving you nuts today, you and Tao okay?" Jongdae called in reply, a few rows down in his family library where the two of them had been brushing up on some old history.

"No I just want you to make it fucking shut up."

"Jesus fine, it's only making that noise because someone is phoning me, chuck it my way- no no wait not literally!" Jongdae screamed as he had to dive for the infernal device, gracelessly righting himself until he stood once more and answered the call. "Don't say a single word! Nothing! Not even a peep okay?" Jongdae yelled as he waved his finger accusingly at Yifan who held his hands up in mock surrender.

"Xiumin! Hi babe, everything alri-"

A warbled version of his name resonated within the room, bouncing off the high ceilings in a borderline echo. "Chen? Please- please, help me help me, something, do- do something, shit, fuck, I can't-"

"Xiumin slow down, what is it? What's the matter? Is it about your Dad? Did his check up not go well- I mean I thought it was tomorrow but-"

"No! No, there's- there's something in the flat, Chen I don't know what it is- I don't know!" Xiumin screamed towards the phone that had been thrown onto the bed as he slid the chest of drawers over to barricade his bedroom door.

Chen froze, completely still, not even breathing. Only becoming hyper aware of the ringing in his ears and a desperate need to blink.

"Chen?" The other was calling his voice again.

"Yifan where's Tao?" He whispered towards his companion who just looked at him with a confused stare. "It's alright baby, do you think someone broke in? Do you think they're still there?" He was projecting his voice now, aiming it towards Yifan who slowly seemed to be realising what might be happening. An unprecedented look of horror was overtaking the other's features, and a hand was clamping down desperately on his forearm, fingernails digging in so much blood trickled onto the floor.

"It's not a person Dae, it- it was this thing, this black thing, like- like a cloud and it was so cold, it was so cold and it burned everything, it burned my entire hands off, and my ring- my ring, and and then everything was fine, not fine, but it like screamed and died, into ash- it turned into ash when my ring touched it and I'm so scared Chen, this is real right? I'm awake aren't I? I'm not going insane!" Xiumin fumbled over every other word but he desperately needed the other to understand him, to tell him that he wasn't going insane.

"You're awake Xiumin, and I dont think you're insane, I just really really need you to be sure- I need you to describe exactly what happened." Chen ordered, snapping his fingers at Yifan who seemed to be lost in some deep trance. If something had gone after Xiumin, if the court had sent something after him Chen would tear them limb from limb.  _No one can hurt him, I don't care what it costs me, if I have to give up my throne, my rank, my everything. I_ ** _will_** _protect him._

"I came home, and everything was wrong- like things had been moved, and there was this smell, it was um like just hot, like hot rotting flowers, so I came into the lounge trying to find whatever it was, and- and it was just there. It didn't do anything to start with, just kinda like- I don't know, floated? But it was like choosing where to go? And then it came to me, but it didn't touch me but then I touched it, and it burned, it was so cold Chen it was so cold it burned my skin off, so I just panicked and then- then I tried to get it off my hand, and when my ring touched it it started screaming and turned to ash, and then the ring made the burns on my hands disappear and they're fine now- I could- I saw bone Chen, I saw straight down to the bone and now they're fine!"

 _Please god no._ "Where are you now Xiumin?" Covering the speaker he angrily whispered to Yifan once more "Where is Zitao? We both know what this is we don't have much time!"

"There's no use Dae, we can't interfere!" The older vampire yelled back, tears streaming down his face. _Please just let it be a coincidence, if it's me, and if he found out, he'd kill me._

"In my bedroom Chen, I pushed stuff in front of the door-"

"Where is the thing now?" He barked, still pleading with Yifan to call Tao to his side.

"Chen please I'm scar-"

" **Xiumin!** Where is it now?!"

"It burned, I told you it burned Chen, it's a pile of ash on the floor!" Xiumin whimpered. "What's going on Chen! What is it- do you- do you know?"

"You need to get out of the apartment Xiumin, I'm coming to get you." He didn't care what laws he was breaking, Chen needed to get to Xiumin.

"What is it! What's going on, why won't you tell me! What's happening?" Xiumin screamed, voice trailing off towards the end as he heard faint but steady thudding in the living room.

"Shit **,** fuck **,** Xiumin **,** I'm so sorrybut, I can't, not just yet, I can't tell you, you wouldn't understand! Fuck! I can't protect him here Yifan, you have to let me go to him,  **Yifan**!"

"Who the hell is Yifan?!  **Chen?!** " Xiumin screamed as he counted the dull thuds coming along his corridor, if he was guessing right it was about one third of the way down the hallway. "Something else is here Chen, I can hear it in the apartment-"

"-No no no please no, please please no Xiumin-"

"-Can bullets kill it Chen? What about a knife?" The other was still pleading under his breath over and over, he could hear the deeper voice of this Yifan person on the other end of the line too."I need you to answer me. Bullets or knives, Chen!"

Awoken from his incoherent stupor Chen was completely thrown off by the question. "Where the hell are you going to get bullets from Xiumin -you can't just magic a knife out of no where!" Chen screamed down the phone, tears streaming down his face as he glared at the towering form of Yifan who was effectively blocking him for leaving the room by standing in front of the doors.

"It appears that we both have our fucking secrets Chen, now answer my question." Xiumin stated evenly, adrenaline pumping through his veins and his heartbeat seemingly echoing about the now seemingly tiny room.

"Yes but Xiumin what the fuck?  **Secrets?**  What secrets involve you handling a knife, a gun?" Chen ground out and the look of pure shock was also mirrored on Yifan's face. But it soon turned to a much harder expression, "He's a fucking hunter Jongdae!"

Before Chen could even answer him the sound of splintering wood both made his blood turn to ice. Chen turned to look at his phone, he grasped it with one hand, the other clutched at his chest as he sank to the floor. Bone meeting marble with an audible thud.

Chen was trembling in a tiny ball on the floor, repeating the words "No no no, no please Xiumin no, please no, don't take him please!" over and over like a prayer. Yifan could only watch in horror at the sight of his broken best friend lying on the floor crying over a  **human**. Yifan would never forget the next moment, not for his entire life.

You see, when you were little, you were told by your elders that one day you'd find your mate and that they would complete you, love you, make you happy, that they'd be everything you'd ever wanted and all that typical bullshit. But as you got older much realer truths were set free, they would tell you that once you've found your destined you must protect them at all costs, because they would do the same for you. Simply because if they died, it could kill you too. Yifan had never really believed in it, but then Tao had waltzed into his life and everything had just clicked. But one thing he hoped to never understand, was what it really felt like to lose your destined. In that one moment, Yifan understood. Because he watched it happen to Jongdae.

It really didn't feel like everything had happened in the span of sixty seconds, but every time his mind flashed back to that day and he witnessed the horror over and over he knew, he knew what happened in every single second.

The first twelve seconds were spent with him talking, asking Jongdae a question.

"Jongdae what the fuck?! He's just a human, he's not special Jongdae just find anoth-no, Jongdae no, please tell me he isn't. Jongdae I beg of you, what is Xiumin to you?! Answer me!" Yifan had bellowed. Realisation crowning in his forefront of his mind.

Eight seconds passed before Jongdae replied. "He's everything Yifan.  **Everything**  to me."

All the glass in the room shattered as wind howled through the windows. It was storming now, it had been sunny just a few minutes earlier, but now it felt like the wind could strip his very flesh away from his bones. Rain piercing him to the bone like little pinpricks over and over. Three seconds were wasted as Yifan became aware of the true meaning behind the words, and the room seemed to weigh down upon him, energy buzzing in the air and focusing around Jongdae.

For the twenty-fourth second all he could do was fall to the floor, knees thudding on the carpet as he stared at Jongdae in disbelief. Wincing as his skin was shocked with tiny jolts of electricity.

On the twenty-eighth second the sound of wood crunching and snapping in half crackled through the phone. Heavy, but even breathing accompanying it. Jongdae's tears hit the floor continuously as he stared down at the phone in his hand, Yifan could see that at that exact second, for Jongdae breathing had become the hardest task of all.

On the thirty-first second the sound of a gun being loaded sounded loudly, followed by whimpering from Xiumin, or maybe Jongdae, Yifan could never tell.

The thirty-seventh second was when Xiumin's voice would float through the speaker. He only spoke for nine seconds pushing on ten, but Yifan knew that those words would haunt Jongdae for ever.

"I think the worst part of all this Chen, the bit that- that hurts the most, is that I think I loved you, I do, even if it was just a little bit, I- I loved you, and I'll never get to feel what it would be like to have be loved back by you."

Gun shots rang out on the forty-eighth second. With screams on the forty-ninth, some human, some not. The last thing that the two of them heard was a wet sounding, choked out version of Chen's name before the line went completely dead.

*

The world fell away for Jongdae on the fifty-third second as he screamed his lungs out with tears clouding his vision and electricity bubbling beneath his skin, but his entire world had already fallen apart between the thirty-seventh and forty-sixth second.

*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Readers! So so many things going on in this one, but were finally getting to the main point of the story!! It's all plot development from here bois, I just wanted to really cement the two of them together before all this shit started happening! But now its here, and I'm so excited for you guys to see it! I'm also thinking that I'll leave a little word bank at the end of this?? Just like of all the words I use so you guys can keep track? Is that helpful? Yes No? Lemme know in the comments either way! But yeah, like wow, it's all kicking off now, let me know what you think in the comments, and both comments and kudos are so very loved so thank you so much for supporting me up till now!cI hope to see you all next week!
> 
> *********************************************************************************************************  
> Things:  
> Craeft = magic/ a person's abilities, egesgrima = a glamour cast to alter appearances, draefend = a creature that's sole purpose is to hunt the person the caster created them to kill,
> 
> Places:  
> Naihtweard = general name for the vampiric domain in the alternate realm, Mistide = the region that all Descendants of Stroemig live in,
> 
> Origins:  
> Descendant of Stroemig = Stroemig is the name of the bloodline/person that Jongdae and subsequently his powers descend from, as he is a direct descendant of Stroemig he possesses a craeft closely linked with lighting/storms/electricity.


	7. Losing Control

Tao could feel it, his words dying in his throat as he collapsed onto the wooden flooring of Kyungsoo's living room, startling the home owner into motion who then rushed to his side. Yifan was in agony and there was so much sadness laced throughout all the physical pain he could sense. He was desperately calling out for Tao, the need for his mate reverberating in his bones until that same need infected Tao's body as well. Kyungsoo meanwhile had instantly contorted the very ground beneath their feet to completely encase them. Most likely fearing some sort of attack was the cause.

"Tao! Tao what is it?!" Kyungsoo screeched, his inner mind connecting to the grounds of his estate, scanning along it to see if anything was out of place or if anyone unknown had snuck in but he found nothing.  He sent out a pulse of his craeft again in waves that spread in all directions, they formed a complete ring around the three of them and then shot off into the distance, traveling up and over walls and objects to locate Tao's attacker or anything that seemed foreign. Yet there was still nothing, not a single vibration out of place. The attacker must be airborne then. But who would be insane enough to pull a stunt like this? He was a Descendant of Eorpe, his mate Jongin was of Læcan descent? Everyone was aware that due to their supposed importance as heirs they were very sheltered children, meaning they were only allowed to be with other descendants and the six of them had grown up together. They had spent their entire lives together, centuries of love and trust turning them into a family, even more so than each individual was with their own bloodline. He would kill for Tao, even one of his own people.

"Not physical, it's Yifan." Tao choked out.

"How so?" Jongin asked, sensing Kyungsoo relax slightly and the wall surrounding them lowered but the broken furniture and snapped floorboards that had occurred in the process remained.

"It- like, it's been going on for a while, something has seriously been bothering him but he just won't tell me, but just then it started out as, as this grief, and maybe guilt- there was so much sorrow, but now it's just- it's just pain, god if it's hurting me this much- Jongin please! He's with Jongdae, take me to him!" Tao begged as he struggled to stand.

"Fine fine, hold on tight everyone, I haven't done more than one person in a while." Jongin warned as he took deep breaths in and out, one arm pulling Kyungsoo in to press him against his chest, the other reaching behind to tug Zitao against his back. Nearly choking from how tightly Tao had wound his arms around his shoulders. "Maybe not that tight Tao. Brace yourselves, try to think happy thoughts and, maybe not vomit again please." Jongin ground out, his mind flashing back to the one and only time that he had teleported Tao.

Jongin then moved to focusing his mind and his body, the very air around them began buzzing, seemingly vibrating with the energy he was exerting, and the shaking only got stronger and stronger before it felt like Jongin was being ripped in two. But it wasn't painful, it was in the beginning but not anymore. Now it just felt like his body was shifting, his very atoms drifting and dancing in the air, his body no longer an actual physical being just a blur instead. He then shifted his concentration to the two bodies latched onto him, and as per usual Kyungsoo began squirming as soon as he felt himself parting. Unfortunately Tao began to writhe and dry heave so Jongin focused on getting the job done as quickly as possible. And in a brief pulse of light and a crackling sound it was. The three of them transported to Jongdae's home in central Mistide, opening their eyes to something akin to a nightmare.

*

An ear splitting sound echoed about the mansion and Yifan could only dazedly stare at Jongdae in shock. And then he was quite literally deafened, nothing but a high pitched ringing could be heard as a paralysing wave of energy was released from Jongdae's body all at once. Yifan cried out, he knew he was screaming and convulsing but all his could hear was that ever constant ringing and muffled noises, his heart beat pounding against his ribs and body spasming as electricity coursed through his veins. The luminia becoming so bright that it was unbearable before it exploded, sending shards in every direction and a few now stood upright in Yifan's flesh.

That was when the thunder outside really started. The wind now whipping into the house and swirling around the room. Curling around Jongdae while still gaining speed, slicing up furniture, and painfully scraping across Yifan's skin every time it circled round. Picking up random things from throughout the room and sending them spinning around wildly before they would eventually smash into walls. He could only watch as pure and utter devastation unfurled in front of his very eyes, a deep-set primal fear coursing through his veins as he watched his best friend's sanity crumble from underneath him. Jongdae was practically howling alongside the bitterly cold wind, eyes glowing like stars against the blacks of his eyes. It was a haunting sound, sending shivers down his spine and the fear, the need to get away trickled down his very bones much like the tears streaming down the other's face. It reminded him of  **wolves**.

Jongdae was in the middle of the room on his knees with his head thrown back. Blue light beaming out of his mouth and eyes as the same light mapped out every single vein in his body. Rings of the same light surrounded him, varying in size and brightness as they spun in perfect time with the vortex of wind still disseminating the room. White fangs gleaming through the flashes of light as lightening graced the ground frequently around the house, his entire body tensed in response, every muscle and tendon straining to the point of pain. Yifan felt vomit rising in his throat, with what little power he had left he forced his body to float. A breath of relief wheezed out of him as he was no longer directly connected to the ground and therefore no longer connected to the direct current stemming from Jongdae. But he couldn't bring himself to resent his friend for the pain he was feeling, it was after all completely understandable. Jongdae had just lost his fated.

*

Jongdae couldn't think. Only one word was currently running through his head.  ** _Xiumin._** It sliced through any other possible thoughts, it engulfed his entire mind. Spreading into the depths of his consciousness, awakening parts of him that he had long forgotten. Thousands of emotions coursed through his veins, setting fire to his heart and loosening what little control he had over his powers.

Fear had hit him first, grazing her fingertips over every inch of his body. Whispering promises of a life of pure solitude, that he'd never find another, never love another. That he'd never kiss Xiumin again, never hold him again, never get to love him like Xiumin said. Fear used the last words Xiumin ever spoke to him to haunt him, she floated around his body and told him that it was all his fault. That he had failed, that he wasn't good enough, that he failed because his fated never felt the love Jongdae was created to give him.

Sadness came next. His huge form clamping down and suffocating Jongdae with his smothering embrace. His throat tightening yet his hoarse screaming still managed to squeeze through. Sadness, the selfish bastard, was tearing his heart apart bit by bit. Not ripping, not shattering, just tearing. Making tiny little rips and then leaving them open for his love to gush out from between the cracks like an over flowing river. The tears running down his face like an ocean. And Jongdae was currently bobbing on the surface, fighting for breath, but with every flashing memory of Xiumin's beautiful smile, or the way his thighs would clamp down when Chen kissed the skin on the underside of his jaw, a wave would crash down and engulf him once more.

Pure and paralysing pain crippled him afterwards. Utter agony after realising that he would spend the remainder of his life alone, that he'd never ever get to love Xiumin like he'd craved to. Theoretically he had never actually marked Xiumin because he had never truly understood the depth of their connection. He had had some inkling of course, but was too afraid, and now that fear had deprived him of the only love he was ever destined to receive. They weren't even close to being fully connected in the eyes of the court, but  _God dammit_ it felt like they had. He was desperate for more of Xiumin, more time, more dates, more smiles, more time, more tears, more late nights and early starts, just  **more** time. The fact that he was gone hadn't really sunk in yet. Even thinking it now caused fresh waves of jarring electricity to roll off of his body and yet another round of screaming to sound. His skin burned, his very soul just ached at the thought of losing Xiumin, no, that he  **had** lost Xiumin. He couldn't even breath, he was choking on his failure to protect his fated.

Then, with that thought fresh in his mind, an unbelievable feeling of guilt clawed at him like a wild beast next. Splitting open his flesh and tearing through his bones from the inside. It ate him up, devoured him whole. It lapped up his excuses and munched on his lies that he told himself. " _It's all my fault it's all my fault, this is all my fault, I did this to him!"_ his thoughts screamed. And the worst part was that they were true, it was all his fault.

"Y-Yifan what- Jongdae?! Jongdae what's wrong!" Kyungsoo screamed when he opened the door, taking note of the destruction throughout the house and how it seemed to focus into one point. And sitting right at the center was Jongdae, body glowing as he sent out burst after burst of pure electricity. To prevent further injury he instructed Jongin and Tao to stay out if they didn't want to be electrocuted. Spidery webs of electricity flew out from the screaming man's body, latching onto anything that it could reach. But thankfully they didn't seem interested in Yifan who was glued to the ceiling.

"It's his fated- his fated is dead Kyungsoo, there's nothing we can do!" Yifan yelled, tears streaming down his face after witnessing the pure anguish that one went through after losing their fated, quite frankly he was incredibly anxious to see Tao and make sure that the other never left his sight again. "Get back! Don't get near him!"

"I'll be fine, I'll keep myself grounded at all times, it might tingle but he can't hurt me that badly." Kyungsoo said shakily, successfully darting out of Jongin's reach when the other male lunged for him as he had obviously figured out Kyungsoo's intentions.

Jongdae was conscious enough to hear the voices, yet he couldn't bring himself to the surface, Xiumin was dead,  **Xiumin was dead**. How on earth is he supposed to live without his fated, how can he live when he was the reason the other died? He knew that there was a time before Xiumin, countless flings and unnamed faces in his bed but they never meant anything. They weren't like Xiumin, they didn't even come close, and now he didn't even have Xiumin anymore. He didn't have anything anymore, and with that he crumbled to the floor.

"Jongdae?" Kyungsoo asked timidly, as he neared the shaking, pathetic form of one of the highest ranking vampires. The boy was now curled up on the floor, laying on his side with his face buried in his arms and was still emitting admittedly now feeble sparks. The storm still raged on outside though, half of the flooring in the room was covered in puddles of water due to the raining pouring in from the shattered windows.

Jongdae only sobbed in response, tears streamed down his face, his nose ran and his mouth was stretched wide with drool hanging off of his chin as he wailed. Too far gone to care anymore, nothing else mattered apart from Xiumin. "Guys it's safe to touch the floor now, it might hurt a little but we're okay now."

"But he isn't, he never will be again."

"Yifan!" Tao scolded as he appeared in the door way, gasping in surprise at the sheer speed that his fated had shot over to him with, clinging onto him with a vice like grip. "Don't ever leave me.  **Ever**." Yifan ground out, not even looking at him as he spoke but instead at the shell of their former best friend in his bedroom.

"Enough!" Kyungsoo bellowed. "Can we focus on the issue at hand?! Tao portal yourself, Yifan and me back to mine, and Jongin you take Jongdae there. We need to get him somewhere where he cant harm anyone." He then barked out.

"Jongdae? Jongdae, I'm going to have to pick you up now buddy, I'm not going to hurt you, we're just going back to Kyungsoo's, he can ground you there so you don't hurt anyone- does that sound okay?" Jongin asked warily, crouching down next to Jongdae who was still crying.

"All I want- all- all I want is X-Xiumin, no- no- thing, nothing else matters." Jongdae hiccuped out, his words strained as they wheezed out of his throat.

"Just hold on to me buddy." Jongin whispered as he struggled to fight off the tears threatening to fall.  _I never even thought about what it would be like to lose Kyungsoo, I can't even imagine what he's going through right now._

*

Kyungsoo's true home laid on the outskirts of Middan, completely buried in the mountain side and seemingly carved from the very Earth itself. Completely contrasting to his family home that resided in the city center. It was simply tall and imposing, looking like an ugly blemish on the city skyline in its grotesque decadence and overall garish feel. But this one was his peaceful paradise that he liked to keep completely separate, as it was created with nothing but his own craeft and will power. The spirits dwelling in the forest even accepted it as Kyungsoo's safe haven, recognising him as the child of a once loved King. Although the concept of royalty had dissolved a long time ago families such as Kyungsoo's were still highly respected, less as a title and more for the powers they possessed. There were six families such as his in total, each residing in the different regions of Naihtweard, all descendants of a long since deceased royal family. Each a child of a different branch of that family, and therefore of a slightly different bloodline. It wasn't a fear thing though, more admiration. The closest human thing he could relate it to was being famous, which is exactly why he liked to keep this place unknown to every bar himself and his fated, as it was only ever for himself and Jongin to escape to when things go too crazy. It wasn't much, truly nothing compared to the Do mansion but it was more than enough for the two of them.

Due to the nature of Kyungsoo's craeft it also unexpectedly doubled as the perfect little insulator for Jongdae, the endless Earth surrounding him and the dirt filling the walls and floor simply combined together to ground his craeft. There was no where for it to escape to where it didn't eventually meet some form of Earth, rendering the electricity harmless. It was potentially why the two of them argued so much, because Kyungsoo had often acted on impulse and trapped Jongdae within the ground when they were children, leaving him there for hours with very little chance of escaping. Though the two were older now, and definitely friends, it was always a little bit of a sore spot between them. As if they ever had to unite to take care of those god awful creatures across the water they had to be kept completely isolated or his craeft would nullify Jongdae's. Leaving him completely helpless in the field of battle. But now none of that mattered, not in the slightest.

"Jongdae, do you maybe, want to tell us about what happened?" Tao asked gently. Jongdae was curled up in the middle of a bed in the guestroom after being force fed and showered, Kyungsoo pressed against his left side and Tao against his right. Normally they wouldn't be allowed within a meter of the male, especially not to do something like this, but the other wasn't putting up any real fuss. Unless they moved away from him that is, as when they did he would latch onto them like a child and start crying again. It was horrific to watch, to watch someone so powerful and strong crumble to pieces all while knowing that there was nothing they could do.

"He- he died Tao, he's dead, I don't know why- I don't know who sent something after him or why they did it, but there was a Maegund in his apartment, he uh, had like this family ring- he was adopted or maybe not thinking about it, but he still wore it, and he said it turned the Maegund to ash when he touched it. It must have immediately summoned the Draefend so I never would have made it to him in time anyway, Yifan thinks he must have been a hunter- because of the ring, but I don't care- I just loved him so much, I know he was my fated now, I, I just- I never realised he was my fated until today. But I can't stop thinking about it, what if he was a hunter? What if my fated was a hunter, what if every second of it was a lie?" Jongdae took his time in speaking, the truth behind his words passed over his tongue like knives.  _He's dead, this is it, it's over for me._

The two men tightened their hold on the distressed male, sensing that that was what he need at that moment in time.

"He called me after it happened, said he'd locked himself in his bedroom, he was really freaked out, and then, and then I was just yelling at him because I was scared and then he was like ' _Chen, what's outside my door?'_ and I knew that the draefend was there. But then, then he asked me if bullets could kill it, if knives could kill it and I'm sat there racking my brain because not once had I seen either of those things in his apartment. Whether he was a hunter or not I didn't even care, he's my fated-  **was** my fated. Oh god, the worst part, the worst thing- I mean god I don't even know if was real anymore, but, do you want to know the last words that he ever said to me?"

"S-sure Jongdae, why don't you tell us?" Kyungsoo replied with nervously, eyes flickering around the room as he watched the luminia's shatter one by one, the only light source in the room other than the dwindling moonlight being Jongdae's now faintly glowing body.

"Xiumin he- Xiumin told me that the worst thing, and the bit that was hurting him the most, is that he loved me, just a little bit, but he loved me Soo, and I never ever got to show him that love back. I only got to have him for mere months, I've been waiting centuries and I got a few months with him! That's all I'll ever have, how is that fair!?" Jongdae screamed, fresh tears streaming down his face.

"Fucking hell Dae, I'm so sorry." Kyungsoo whispered in shock, stunned by the tears running down his own face as well. Though it was no surprise that Tao was sobbing nearly as much as Dae was.

"I never got- I'll never- never get to show him y'know? Like what- what it was like to be loved, to be truly loved." He whimpered as he rolled over and buried his face in Tao's chest, entire body heaving as he viciously sobbed.

"Come here, it's okay, it'll be okay." Tao soothed, staring in awe as the electricity flowed over his skin instead of shocking him. The same look of confusion adorning barely visible Kyungsoo's face.

"No it won't be Tao. He's not coming back, I'll never get Xiumin back." Jongdae stated evenly as he stared up at the ceiling, before he finally let exhaustion claim him and pull him under.

The three of them stayed like that for the rest of the night, Yifan and Jongin were busy attempting to fix and clean up anything they could back at the Wu mansion per Kyungsoo's order that it was unfair to leave the maids to do it all. However upon returning back to the little hide away, feeling oh so ready to crash into the nearest available soft surface the vampires were stunned by what they saw. Kyungsoo and Tao we're tangled up together in bed, instantly reminding them both of a childhood spent together. Jongdae however was sat on the floor, his back pressed up against the floor to ceiling windows that lined the outside facing side of the bedroom.

"Done already? I wouldn't wake them though, I, well, I accidentally made them cry, like a lot, so they might be needing the rest." Jongdae whispered, just running the pads of his fingers over the solid wood beneath him, feeling all the ridges and rough almost splintered parts beneath his palm. The glass against his bare back no longer felt cold, he no longer felt anything really, the fresh scars on his fingertips from forcing them over the splintered edges of the wood had not been able to bring him back to reality. It was a futile attempt to escape the numbness, but they didn't need to know about that.

"What about you?" Jongin asked after a pause.

"I don't matter anymore- not now that Xiumin is gone."

"Jongdae you can't think like that." Yifan scolded.

"Why can't I? You hadn't seen him Yifan, he was so  **perfect,** he was everything I'd ever needed and more, and  **God** the way it felt when I kissed him- when I held him too, we never- never, like, but it was enough, just to have him next to me and see him smile, and I'll never get to feel that again. Nothing could ever compare, and that's the truth of it, you can't tell me otherwise- you know you can't tell me otherwise." Jongdae spoke with a wistful look on his face, reminiscing over the single most precious moments in all his centuries on this Earth. Yet it soon turned sour and bitter as the looks on the other's faces only reaffirmed the truth he desperately wanted to ignore.

"Dae, I can't even begin to imagine losing Kyungsoo and what losing him would do to me, I can't even begin to understand your pain right now, but all I can say- all we can say I mean, is that we'll be there for you, all of us." Jongin said slowly as he made his way over to Jongdae and dragged him until he was perched back on his spacious bed.

"Tomorrow- tomorrow we'll go back to his apartment, you don't even have to come with us, the Draefend don't tend to be messy- they're um, well, quick, and um, efficient as horrible as it sounds, so he didn't suffer! So, um, as much as you might not be ready I vote that we go back and get his bod- we get him, and, and give him a proper burial! Mark his place in history for all of us, as one of the rare fated humans, I think he's what? The fifth, maybe sixth in all of recorded time? Let's show the entire world how special he is Jongdae." Yifan suggested timidly, gradually watching different emotions play across the other's face until something akin to happiness appeared.

"Fuck, shi- Yifan, I'd like that a lot Yifan, yeah, thank you." He really struggled to keep the catch out of his voice after that, willing the tears not to come. "That's so, thoughtful of you Yifan, but- I'm not sure yet, but, I think I want to come with you, I may not be able to have him anymore, but I can have parts of him- his hoodies, the photos we took together, all the books he had that I haven't read yet, and his coffee machine- it's a human thing, and I want all of his shirts too, the black one with this stupid graphic on it that was his favourite-"

"It's alright Jongdae, you can take whatever you want, we'll wake up and go together tomorrow." Jongin reasoned as he laid the other male down, noting how worryingly cold and pale he had become. By now Kyungsoo had woken up and had stuck himself to Jongin's side, his eyes still puffy and red; Tao meanwhile was still asleep, snoring slightly. "We're going to go and sleep in one of the spare rooms you have, we're not going far." Kyungsoo mumbled as he drew the covers back over the exhausted male's body.

Yifan stood awkwardly in the doorway, Tao had already rolled over to the other side of the bed and had smothered Jongdae's body with his long limbs.

"The bed is big enough for three, I'm sorry for keeping him here I just really don't want to be alone right now, you can fit on the other side if you let me roll over." Jongdae whispered as he laughed lightly as Yifan's face.

"It's alright, I understand." Toeing off his shoes before briefly disappearing into the adjoining bathroom to clean his hands and face before he returned into the room. Jongdae had been with him for hundreds of years, Yifan had even been with Jongdae when he was first transitioning, half the time he viewed him as a little brother and the other half Jongdae was his protector. He was always so strong, so incredibly powerful, but now he was lying broken in the middle of this stupidly empty bed. So he wasted no time in gluing himself to the other side of his body, holdings Tao's hand that was resting atop of Jongdae's stomach.

"Sleep Jongdae. Sleep, we'll still all be here when you wake up." 

*

Pale skin shone grotesquely in the sunlight, the light catching it on the high points of his prominent ribs, hips, and collarbones, still clammy with the sweat of a vivid dream. Though it was not truly a dream, but a relaity instead. It didn't provide any semblance of an escape, and Jongdae doubted it ever would. Why would his subconscious ever be that kind? No, instead he was to relive it every night, this night alone he had relived the same reality in three different shades. The darkest most consuming black presented itself as he burst through the door to the apartment just that little bit too late, watching Xiumin's skewered body slide off the thin, bony claws of the Draefend until it smacked wetly onto the floor. The most vivid yellow coloured the edges as this time he made it and was fighting the creature, Xiumin's unresponsive form somewhere in the bedroom of the flat but it was too bright for him to see. Too bright for him to fight, and he couldn't stop it, he couldn't win this fight, nothing he did worked. The worst was when he dreamt through a rose tint, watching the Draefend murder his fated from up above as a disembodied presence, only to have the tint fade at the last second and it was his hands that were stained red. After that one he decided sleep wasn't for him that night.

"-Dae? Jongdae, buddy? It's time to get up, you should eat, yeah eat something, might make you feel better-"

"It will not, please don't be starting any of that, I expect it from your mate but not you Yifan." Jongdae heaved himself out of bed as he spoke, feet brushing over the cold floor as he braced himself against the oncoming head-rush. Crying yourself to sleep never yielded particularly pleasant results the next morning. "Just don't bother with it, I think I just want to go- and get it over with, I don't want to drag it out anymore than it has to be- and, and before I-, I know if I don't do it now I won't be able to bring myself to, and I need to Yifan, I need to go." Jongdae ground out, his eyes glued to the floor as he sucked in great deep breaths, willing his mind and body to calm down.

There was a tangible pause before anybody spoke, the other's having quickly materialised in the doorway alongside Yifan. "Hey, hey, it's okay, it's okay Jongdae, we can go whenever you want too." Kyungsoo soothed as he pointedly glared at the taller vampire, trust him to be tactless and set Jongdae off.

"Right, thanks Soo, and, well, would you mind opening a portal for us Tao? And stay on this side to keep it open? I can't imagine Jongin wants to touch a dead body to bring it back." There was another pause, this time awkward and tense. It seemed they weren't expecting Jongdae to be so frank about it, evident in the flash of disgust and horror that over took Jongin's features. _Oops, I'm so sorry_ ** _you're_** _uncomfortable over_ ** _my_** _fated's death, so sorry._

"Um yeah, of course. Whatever you want Jongdae honestly, we're here for you- we're all here for you, you know that right?" Tao urged as he pushed the low table in the centre of the room to the side. He stood with his legs shoulders width apart and raised his arms until the were straight out in front of him. With palms facing downwards he swooped his hands down and up to form halves of a large circle, his forearms crossing over by the end of it. The exact same sliver of light appeared as before. Only this time as he was on the other side of it Jongdae could literally see the very matter of the universe bunch up underneath a single fingertip of Tao's like ripples in a stiff fabric, until they finally gave way and split open. Instantly recognising the grey sofa that was slowly coming into view.

"Okay, okay, let's do this." Jongdae whispered to himself more than anybody else, gingerly passing through the portal, closely followed by Kyungsoo and Jongin.

*

Primal fear, that's what this was, that's all Xiumin could feel as he stared at the bone like claws that had pierced through the wood of his bedroom door with ease.  _Like butter,_ he thought,  _like a knife through butter_ , the image then lazily running through his mind. There was no urgency to this thought, body and mind surrendering to the panic, all he could feel was something tugging on his hand. A cold hand with a vice grip squeezing it painfully, trying to tear it free from his chest and his ribs threatened to splinter and crack with the force of it. That and the dead weight of a gun in his hand, the metal smooth and lifeless under his flesh.  _The gun._ Xiumin's mind screamed as pieces of the door clattered onto the ground and the feet of the cupboard scratched along the floor with movement.  _Use the gun._ It screamed again, and this time his body numbly complied, ejecting the magazine to ensure it was fully loaded before flicking the safety off. But none of it felt real, it still felt like he was going to wake up at any moment. No, this wasn't fear, this was shock. And if Xiumin didn't snap out of it he'd die.

Instead of his chest, this time his heart felt like it was been pulled out of his mouth, he could feel the bulk of it in his throat and breathing was only getting harder as he looked at the creature dead on. It wasn't overly tall, shorter than him possibly and it was all sharp edges and bent limbs. It's body literally twisted in the middle making it look as if something had just plucked it from the ground and tried to wring it out like a damp cloth, and it just made it seem like entire upper half of its body was held up by a mere twig. Bony spindly legs reminded him of that of a spiders, but their was nothing symmetric about this creature, its limbs sprouted from different angles and heights, some barely even touching the ground and others had been forcibly snapped because they were too long. The now dead and rotting portion that had been partially severed to allow the leg to touch the ground was being dragged behind it. Truthfully most of the creature seemed death, infected skin peeled and hung off of now protruding bones and the skin that was still intact seemed to be in excess, the black almost translucent flesh bunched up like clothing too big around its joints. It's face was the definition of anguish and torment. A large mouth hung agape, jaw dislocated from the rest of it's face and it swung side to side as the beast maneuvered through the broken and jagged wooden door. A blood red mouth contained rings and rings of teeth, varying in size and then beginning to get smaller as they disappeared down the monster's throat. But it did not move as if it was it any pain, though it seemed a haphazard mistake in creation it moved with precision and purpose, muscles visibly rippling under the skin as it did so. And judging by the number of scars covering its body it was clear that this thing didn't go down easy.

For now, all it was doing was staring at him, its many eyes all blinking at different intervals to always keep at least one puss filled eye on him. Just that and teetering back and forth on its pin like legs, an image briefly being conjured in his mind of his body being skewered on those very legs. And that's when he felt it, the rush of adrenaline that banished the ringing from his ears and sharpened his sight, body coiled ready to attack. Because this was it, whatever this thing was, what the reason for its appearance Xiumin knew he could die today. Then came the anger, raging through him, fueling him. What the anger was he did not know but Xiumin could not shake the feeling that someone he loved had suffered at the hands of this beast, somewhere far off in a distant memory yet still it felt so real. Knuckles turning white as he gripped the gun and the phone even tighter, suddenly aware of Chen's voice screaming down the line, begging, pleading. And Xiumin was never going to see him again, so for once, he just let go. Let the words he had been dying to say run free from his lips before the beast finally lunged.

A pained cry of Chen's name rang out as the beast did so, completely unaffected by the array of bullets Xiumin fired at it, and it sunk it's needle like fingers into the fleshy part of Xiumin's upper arm. Screams tore themselves free of his throat as searing hot pain resonated within his very bones. His uninjured right arm reached behind his back and grasped the solid handle of the blade tucked into the waistband of his trousers, before he flicked his wrist forwards again and cringed at the sound of the metal tearing into skin and muscle. The blade sunk into what Xiumin could only assume was the beast's lower abdomen, and despite the sharp pain that blinded him he gripped the knife with both hands and ripped it up diagonally across the monster's gaping chest with a hideous squelching sound that made him retch. But it only got worse when Xiumin noticed that the black skin sizzling as the pale grey metal burned it's flesh.

His breathing was laboured, blood dripping onto the floor as he panted and his heartbeat was now a thundering bass line in his ears. A twisted symphony of life, there to remind Xiumin to keep fighting, keep breathing. And when it was paired with the sound of flesh burning and that god awful wailing that was coming from the beast it combined to create something that made his stomach churn. But now he was focused, he was ready, his mind and body worryingly calm as he waited for the next attack.

This time when it lunged he held its ground, legs no longer quivering beneath him but instead driving him forwards to plunge the knife in deeper over and over again. His body moving faster than ever before, reactions quicker now too as he predicted where the beast would lung and strike next and then dodged them all with ease. No longer screaming when the odd claw managed to rake across his skin, instead it just pushed him to dig deeper and fight harder. Dark and thick blood wept out of the creature now, its body desperately fighting to knit itself back together again but it was to no avail. But Xiumin pointedly ignored the rabbit hole of where these 'family' knives and his 'family' ring truly came from, he was just grateful he wasn't dead. Though that wasn't for certainty yet and the two beings circled around his living room, neither one of them making the first move. There was no time to wait, if he didn't stop the bleeding from the various cuts covering his body it was a surety that he would pass out, so with that he lunged and swung wildly. The knife vibrating at the force that it bet the creatures spine with, sounding a disgusting almost chime that reverberated around the room. That did not matter though, because now the creature was struggling to move, to control its body and Xiumin took full advantage. He hacked that thing to pieces as tears finally streamed down his face, the adrenaline finally wearing off. And then before his very eyes, it seeped into and then through the floor almost, snapped bones and chunks of flesh fading to dust as skin melting into nothing but a dark stain on his wooden flooring.

Xiumin didn't register the feeling of his knees hitting the floor, or the glass piercing his palm as he scurried away. He wasn't even sure when he barricaded the front door and locked all the windows, or how he dragged himself back to the bedroom. Leaving trails of blood in his wake. But one thing was for sure, as he dragged out the large chest from under his bed, opening it once more to reload his hand gun and run his fingers over the other blades buried there, that his apartment was the safest place to be. If he chose to pack everything up and run, firstly he'd have nowhere to go and no real direction to run in because what if he endangered somebody else? And secondly what if he got stopped by the police with all these weapons? Or badly injured while running, he'd have no chance and just bleed out. The safest place was here, where Xiumin knew all the sounds and creaks of the night, where he had water, food, shelter, and admittedly now sparse medical supplies. But he could protect himself better if anything else appeared, because realistically who on Earth would believe him about all this? There was no physical evidence of the creature, just a trashed apartment and him, a supposed lunatic with a stash of knives and bullets beneath his bed, a known loner that was shunned by the rest of the building. He'd have to sit tight and wait until morning as he eyed his smashed phone, daylight would be his ally, allowing him to run down to the cafe and use their phone to call Chen. If that was even still an option anymore, Chen definitely knew much more than he was telling Xiumin and that thought alone terrified him more than anything he'd seen that night.

*

Everything felt off the moment they portalled into the room. Sure most the furniture was trashed and broken, but the floor was clear of any debris and all the furniture was seemingly upright in the place it belonged. And not only was there human blood in the air but most likely Draefend too from the smell of it. It was putting Kyungsoo on edge, given it was hard enough to focus with the stench of human blood in the air anyways. It had been a very, very long time since their kind had plagued the human world, now instead back home they had created a synthesised version blended with animal blood. Containing everything human blood would given them, minus the death and suffering. But he was soon snapped out of his train of thought as he watched Jongdae instantly sink to his knees, a high pitched keening sounds emanating from him before it broke off into a deeper slurred version of his fated's name. It must have been one hundred times harder for Jongdae to fight against the call of human blood, Jongin was already pressing against his side with his fangs flat against the skin of Kyungsoo's neck. A silent reminder of their bond, not threatening, just there to bring him back down. But Jongdae didn't have anyone like that, he'd have to drag himself out of it.

"Fuckkkk-" Jongdae whined before panting,  _the smell, god the scent of his blood_ ,  _its so good_ , "Can't you guys smell that?" He hissed through his fangs.

"We all can Dae, and it's disgusting, I much prefer Jongin thank you very much." Said hummed in approval next to him.

"Not to me it isn't."

"Jongdae come on, snap out of it, please, don't do this now- don't go into a, frenzy- like, like some rabid, you know Jongin hates being drank from and people drinking from me, it's a no win situation." Kyungsoo shouted as he smacked the other across the face. But he knew the dark crimson flush staining his cheeks wasn't due to his forceful strike. His pupils were blown wide, nearly eclipsing the now red iris completely, thin white fangs graced a full lower lip and harsh panting sounded. "Jongdae please."

"Just, just give me a minute, fuck, it's the bond, it's screaming for me to drink and complete the bond, but- but I just can't Soo- I can't get near him right now. He'll be in the bedroom, I think, he said he'd locked himself in there." Jongdae rasped out, chills sweeping over his body as he felt himself straining uncomfortably against the fabric of his underwear. This wasn't just hunger anymore, but pure blood lust, to smell his fated's blood like this was absolute torture.

"Of course, you just stay here and calm down yeah? We'll go find him, and- and cover him up, yeah we'll put something over him before you see him, if need be, we don't want to make you suffer anymore than you already have Jongdae-"

"Chen?"

*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Readers! A lot going on in this one! Finally seeing more of the vampire world and the other pairings, and I mean come on, we all knew I wouldn't kill off Xiumin so everything is all gucci don't you worry bois. But most importantly, while this chapter is great and obviously I'm proud of it, it means that the next chapter is when it finally all kicks off! I'm so so excited for you guys to see the true plot of this fic, because everything is going to change next chapter! (It might come in two parts tough because I have a feeling it'll be a beast of a chapter like 12k probably, so let me know if you'd rather one giant bulk of a chapter or for me to split it up, if that's the case I'll take two weeks so I can post them at the same time!) Thank you so much for reading my fic and sticking with me! As always comments and kudos are very much loved and appreciated, I'll see you next week! (maybe?)  
> ****************************************************************************************************************************  
> Things:  
> Craeft = magic/ a person's abilities, Egesgrima = a glamour cast to alter appearances, Draefend = a creature that's sole purpose is to kill the person the caster desires, Maegund = partner creature to the Draefend, only this ones purpose is to hunt/find the person the caster desires, Luminia = crystal like object that can be charged with magic and acts like a light,
> 
> Places:  
> Naihtweard = general name for the vampiric domain in the alternate realm, Mistide = the region that all Descendants of Stroemig live in, Middan = the region that all Descendants of Eorpe live in,
> 
> Origins:  
> Descendant of _______ = the concept that the person is a descendant of the former royal families, the _____ indicates the bloodline/person that the character and subsequently their powers also come from.
> 
> Stroemig = possesses a craeft closely linked with lighting/storms/electricity.
> 
> Eorpe = possesses a craeft closely linked with nature and the Earth.
> 
> Læcan = possesses a craeft linked with teleporting and the speed and mastery of movement.


	8. Reunited

In the course of a single night there were things witnessed that Xiumin would never, ever forget no matter how hard he tried. Namely flashes of teeth and claws, and disorientating snippets of hanging flesh and exposed innards. Even looking at his own reflection in the bathroom mirror when it was all over and sunlight was just beginning to wearily fill his room was terrifying. His hair was a greasy black with matted with blood, pale flesh a dot to dot of jagged edges and small missing chunks, even the wide eyes he was taking it all in with no longer seemed to be his own. Xiumin couldn't remember sleeping that much, even though only a few more creatures met their demise in his apartment throughout the duration of the entire night he didn't quite trust it enough to allow himself to properly sleep. None of the other creatures held a candle to the speed and intelligence of the first, they didn't even seem that interested in him truthfully. They simply slithered into his apartment and sniffed at the puddles of acidic looking blood that bubbled on the floor, only shifting to attack him when Xiumin stumbled across them. He knew he had forced himself to eat and to keep drinking, hoping it would be enough to keep his body going with the possibility of blood loss ever looming over him. But the shock of seeing Chen in his apartment with two strangers next to him, that had seemingly appeared without a single sound was enough to shock his numbed mind into a dizzying spin. Not forgetting the glimmering vortex that was flickering in and out of existence behind the three intruders, that too was sending him reeling into another spike of adrenaline. Stuck on a roller coaster of panic that his poor heart and body couldn't tolerate another dip and rise of.

With everything that had happened that night Xiumin couldn't force his body to obey him nor could he fight his immediate instincts, so with shaking breaths he raised both guns, one trained on Chen on the floor and the other on the two men stood next to his 'boyfriend'. He was proud to say that his hands didn't even tremble in the slightest, fingers holding the gun and curling around the trigger with a solid grip and even heartbeat. The ringing and pressure in his ears was making him feel like he was underwater for a moment in a peaceful and muffled silence, but he could still see their mouths moving. "Chen?"

In that mere millisecond the air in the room changed, and Xiumin had never felt fear like it in his life. Chen's body seemed to blur despite how the world around them slowly considerably, starting to feel worryingly similar to how the movies depict it when you're about to die. That the air surrounding you would turn thick like jello and you couldn't move a single muscle, unable to drag any air in either to then force out a scream. The Earth jolting to a halt as it stopped spinning all for you, to prolong your demise and force you to watch every excruciating detail as it unfolded. All he could focus on was Chen's face, twisted in a raging hunger, mouth so wide and with these thin fangs, the whites of his eyes now completely black making the red iris glow as he abruptly shifted from side to side with each step. Only it wasn't a step, Chen was lunging wildly in a desperate attempt to get to Xiumin and it finally kicked in that something was wrong. The movement of Chen's body, the gape of his jaw like that of a snakes, and the beacon of evil that his eyes had become were no longer human. In that exact second that Xiumin had realised all of that the gun pointing at Chen suddenly felt like the heaviest thing in the world, that if he tipped the muzzle down by a mere centimeter to aim it, it would make his body teeter as if it were perched on a ledge. And the last thing that he wanted to discover was what might be at the end of that fall, but it seemed he wasn't destined to discover that.

There was a sudden snap of movement, a deafening cracking of floorboards snapping under the immense pressure and then a body, flickering like a faulty light, stuttered into being a mere meter in front of Xiumin. It was the stranger, driving his feet so hard into the ground the flooring gave way, but he remained silent and unfazed, arms still reaching out to twist into the fabric of Chen's shirt to launch him over both their heads. It was entirely bizarre to watch, it looked so effortless, just a slight flick of the strangers wrist sent Chen flying back down his corridor, sailing over his head entirely. The body immediately vanished once more, just blipped out of existence, and from the sudden shift of air behind him ghosting over his nape Xiumin knew that the stranger had now appeared behind him. Before he could even drive himself forwards to duck out of whatever sneak attack was coming his way the slightly smaller stranger, paler too, was dragging Xiumin forwards and then behind himself.

"Jongin keep him down! Jongdae you need to snap out of it! He needs you!"

"What's going on-" Xiumin genuinely felt choked tears consuming his vision at the violence of his breath catching in his throat upon hearing  **that**  horrid noise. He'd never heard something so deafening and animalistic come from a human, it practically vibrated within his skull and sent him reeling. And it was coming from Chen, every time he stood and tried to charge towards Xiumin again the stranger would throw him back down until finally Chen seemingly began to tire. Still howling in anguish the whole time.

"Jongdae snap out of it!" The guy in front of him yelled again, eyes still fixed on Chen- well, 'Jongdae' and no matter where Xiumin went he would remain as a protective shield. "You've got him back! He's back Jongdae, he's right here!"

"Need...Him...Blood..." The walls seemingly shook with the depth of that rumbling inhuman voice emanating from Chen, it was simultaneously raspy and raw, and one of the loudest most penetrating sounds Xiumin had ever heard. Like someone was doing this hissing come whisper directly into his brain. "The bond..."

"The bond needs to be voluntary- he has to consent Dae, he won't come near you when you're like this, you need to stop all this before you do something you regret and lose him again." The taller of the two strangers stated calmly, arms out in front of him trying to placate the creature huddled against the ending wall of the corridor. "Come back to us Dae."

_A bond? Consent?_  "What's going on?" Xiumin whispered, placing a tentative hand on his protector's shoulder though it was immediately shrugged off. Their eyes were still fixed on Chen's heaving form, chest rising and falling in rapid succession as fingernails clawed into the wooden flooring.

Kyungsoo grimaced at the humans touch before rolling his shoulder to shake the hand off, praying to god Jongdae didn't clock it or he'd probably turn into a territorial rabid, which was even worse than what they were currently stuck with. "I'll leave it up to him on how much to tell you, it's not my place, I'm sorry- I, I know you want to know, and I know seeing him like this must be confusing- and scaring you beyond belief but just hold on for a little longer."

It was quite possibly the hardest thing Jongdae had ever had to do, even though it was buried beneath bleach and antibacterial chemicals the scent of Xiumin's blood still clung to nearly every surface. The need to complete the bond was overpowering, the instinct to fulfill the ritual was consuming him. Where the will-power came from to fight against it he would never know, but he was sure it was stemming from that pure joy of knowing that Xiumin was still alive. His brothers were right though, he had to tread carefully, had to keep himself on the tightest leash possible because one wrong move would leave him abandoned forever. Not that he wanted to pin that type of thing on his boyfriend at all, that wasn't Xiumin's responsibility to have at all. If he wanted to stay in the human world and find someone 'normal' to settle down with then so be it, Jongdae would step back and let it happen. But he wouldn't need to, not if he could help it. Not if he planned these next few moments very carefully because he knew Xiumin, and the one thing his fated detested above all else was being lied to. Ranking pretty even with being treated as if he couldn't handle something, so there was very little choice but to launch straight into it.

"First off-"  _Jesus Christ_ , Jongdae cleared his throat and hoped he sounded a little more human this time around instead of a rumbling growl. "First off, my real name is Jongdae, Kim Jongdae, and I am a descendant of Stroemig. Everything you have seen tonight has been real, everything that you saw just now was real too. We really did just materialise out of thin air, thanks to that clever little portal that is being held open by my brother back home. We fully expected to find you dead. The uh, 'we' consists of myself, and then Kyungsoo in front of you, and Jongin near me. They are my, uh, the closest thing you'd call it is brothers, my brothers from back home in Naihtweard, and we, well, we are,  **vampires** Xiumin. Wait wait! Not quite the way that your human media and legends portray us, but the basic features are the same. I'll just, uh, give you a minute." Jongdae said as he wearily stood, simultaneously annoyed and thankful for the way that Jongin was immediately shifting to stand guard in front of Xiumin.

"...Right...okay, um, shit well fuck me, okay, so that's a thing, you're serious- this is actually happening, you're serious, oh my god this is real, holy fucking shit. Have you ever- ever like, drunk from me? Do you do that?"

"No, god no Xiumin, I would never- I would never do that to you, because, well with  **us** things are a little, different for lack of a better word, they're special. If I were to drink the blood of any other human- I mean yes I'd be breaking dozens of laws and probably be executed but everything would stay the same, but, if I drank from  **you** , well that would be an entirely different story. You see- and- and I know, believe me I know this is even harder to believe, but where I'm from, soul mates as you would call them are a reality, and, I found mine, he just happened to be human which is throwing a proverbial spanner in the works of it all."

Chen- no, Jongdae was right, that was even harder to digest than the previous bomb that had been dropped on his already fragile sense of reality.  _Soul_   _mates?_ He'd never really stopped to think about his view on it, and while there was nothing concrete Xiumin undoubtedly felt an abnormal sort of pull to the other. A need of sorts, a desperate burning need, and even now it was becoming harder and harder not to throw himself at the other. In the course of the night it felt as if something had been awakened inside of him and all it was calling out for now was the safety he felt when he was with Jongdae.

"Kyungsoo and Jongin are fated, are soulmates I mean, it's real Min, I know I've lied to you about who I am but humans are just so fragile- I just wanted to be selfish and guarantee some time with you before you found out and hated me."

"Regardless of what I think about us, because I am angry Chen, I'm fucking angry, and hurt, and I've got so many fucking questions I'm going to explode, but none of that changes the fact that some backwards demon crawled itself out of  **your** pit and came to find me. Correct?" Xiumin stated plainly, really not wanting to open the can of worms that was him and Chen in front of any spectators. He received only a faint nod in response so he ploughed on. "So, you owe it to me to keep me safe-"

"I'll keep you safe! Keep you so safe, so so safe, never let anything hurt you- please Soo, please, I can stay in control, Xiumin please I'm begging you- can I just- just once-" The call of his fated to protect him, whether Xiumin was aware he was doing it or not was so powerful it consumed him. His already delicate mental state tipping over the edge as he just sobbed, the bond was so weak now, he just needed one touch and it would ignite again. Burning once more between them in all its luminous glory. The last thing he was expecting however was for Xiumin to burst from between the two other vampires with alarming ease and mould himself again Jongdae's own trembling form. Both tasting the salt of their combined tears between eager lips, for the briefest moment forgetting all that had happened between them in favour of losing themselves in each other.

"Then do it, keep me safe Chen. Keep me by your side-" Xiumin whispered as he began to pull away, though his movements halted when one of the others began speaking.

"Slight issue with that." The taller, Jongin he believed, interrupted with. "To keep you safe, we're going to need to bring you home, through that portal. Jongdae can't keep you safe here, you're too exposed, he can't use any power to protect you or he'll be charged and executed. You need to come to Naihtweard to stand a chance of surviving all this."

"Naihtweard?" Xiumin asked, finally extracting himself fully from the smothering tangle of Jongdae around him. Though the word sounded wrong with his accent, his 'human' accent, it sounded entirely different to when one of the others said it.

"It's where we are from, to put it simply, its our home planet-"

"Planet?!" He was pacing by this point, officially pacing, just like his dad did. Xiumin was honestly turning into his father.

"More like dimension." Kyungsoo this time interrupted, now fiddling with one of the little trinkets sat on Xiumin's coffee table, turning the wooden figurine over and over in his palm. "It's not quite like a mirror image to Earth but it's close enough, only over there humans weren't the end product of evolution, we were, well, humans did come into being, however a small pocket of vampires had evolved somewhat peacefully deep in an abandoned area. When those original vampires came into contact with the humans- well, humans were wiped out within a year and the number of vampires quadrupled from a viral infection- it- it's a long story and its far more complicated than that when you factor in what went on on the other side of the planet but-"

"No no, you're not getting the fucking tone here,  **planet**?! You're expecting me to go to a different planet, with no way of leaving, with a group of people that could probably tear me limb from limb? Just like that? Just hop though this here portal Xiumin and everything will be fine! Do you even fucking hear yourselves?!"

"It's nothing like the movies Min, I promise, we don't drink human blood anymore so we aren't going to be fighting off hoards to keep you safe." Jongdae added sheepishly.

"You've seen too much already, whether you get involved with Jongdae or not you're still being targeted by something from our world. You can't escape it anymore." Kyungsoo replied with bitterness in his voice. "You're safest bet is to come with us."

"And I'm just supposed to just trust you, two strangers and my boyfriend that has lied about every little detail down to his fucking name?" He countered with, fingers tightening around his guns and he was suddenly very relieved he never dropped them.

"Would it help if we said that only- uhh, five, six people would know of your existence there? You'll be in a secluded property- no surprise attacks like last night at all. The only people that will know you are there are Jongdae's brothers, us included in those six by the way, and that if he so much as lifted a finger at you Jongin would find a deep dark hole on the other half of the planet and leave him there?" Kyungsoo was beginning to see why Jongdae insisted that this human was different, he wasn't sobbing and cowering in fear. Even though those guns would do very little the human's grip on them never relented, like some kind of power play. "That's a warning to you as well Jongdae, we are more than capable of taking care of your fated with or without you so you best behave."

"You don't fucking touch him Soo, don't- I wouldn't be able to control myself if you come near him, you know what it was like when you came of age and realised it was Jongin, you were the most insane possessive little-"

"You'll need to Dae, for his sake you need to stay in control every second of every single day-"

"You won't touch him! Mine, he's mine, my fated, my fated!" Jongdae snarled, relishing in the fact that though justifiably angry at him Xiumin had still remained close by even as he paced. Meaning all Jongdae had to do was reach out an arm to find that warm flesh thrumming with life and draw it in closer, all heat and skin as he pressed Xiumin's body against his own. It felt amazing just to be this close to the other now that his body finally recognised him as Jongdae's true fated.

Squirming away Xiumin was thankful to be released from the tight hold, the other's grip had faltered the moment Jongin flickered into life mere inches away from Chen, hand outstretched but not quite making contact with Chen's shoulder. "What on fucking Earth makes you think I want either of you- you creeps touching me, or being anywhere near me, you're both strangers to me now, I- I don't know you anymore, please, please just let go of me, I can't take being close to you anymore...  **Jongdae**." His voice had started off so powerfully, filling the entire room but it became smaller and smaller, weighed down by raw emotion towards the end of it. Xiumin had shocked himself at the truth in his words, Chen truly was a stranger to him now, everything he thought he knew about his supposed boyfriend was a lie. Yet there he was, being held in those same arms, being loved with that same heart, being looked at so attentively with that same old look of pure adoration. But he knew it wasn't the same.

"Chen was just a name I used in the human world, I've always used it- I didn't make up a new identity just to stalk you or something, I genuinely have been 'living' at that apartment for about ten years now, and I do go to university- kinda. But don't lie to yourself Xiumin, not now, now is the time when we need to face everything together, don't deny yourself of what you need." Jongdae tried to reason, taking a step closer to Xiumin but still wary of the looming presence of Jongin beside him.

"I can't, everything's too much- I don't know what to do, what am I supposed to do Chen? How do I even begin to process all this?" Xiumin finally whimpered, surrendering to the flood of anxiety he had been fighting to suppress all night long. Body crumbling to the floor but Jongdae was there instantly to catch him. The sound of metal scraping along wood could be heard as both of his guns clattered to the ground. Xiumin found himself winding his arms around Chen's shoulders and clinging to his frame like a baby, hot tears streaming down his face while he wailed. Kyungsoo and Jongin stood to the side awkwardly, not trusting Jongdae enough to leave him alone but not wanting to ruin the reunion of them. The two of them had to settle for wandering about the place, cleaning away any evidence that they had ever been there.

"Shh Min, it's okay, I'm here now, it's alright now I promise." Jongdae soothed as he couldn't help but press kisses to every single inch that his mouth could find. Nuzzling into the skin and inhaling Xiumin's distinct scent. "Just trust in us please, don't reject me anymore, Xiumin, I'm only here to protect you- I won't hurt you, hurting you hurts me." Jongdae whispered into Xiumin's shoulder as he nuzzled his face against the other's skin, running his hands over everywhere until he settled for threading one into Xiumin's hair and the other rubbing up and down his side.

"What the fuck is happening to me, Ch- Jongdae, what was- why was that thing after me? And why me, for you?" Xiumin rambled, but the other just hushed him and began wiping away his tears with the promise that he'd answer all of that and more once Xiumin was safe. So the two just sat there for a moment until his breathing finally evened out once more, pulling back to inspect the face now inches from his own with a new sense of clarity. It felt like it had been so long since he had just looked at the other, really studied every feature, he was instantly drawn back to all those little moments of peaceful bliss they shared before all this began. It was a painful memory at best, because now every happy memory he had with the other was tainted. Stained black, much like what were once the whites of Jongdae's eyes. The irises were now a steely sort of grey, lost between blue and slate but they still shone brightly in contrast to the endless depths surrounding them. His skin was paler now, without a single one of those faint freckles that Xiumin had come to love so much. But it was still Chen, he and Jongdae could still be the same person, it would just take time for him to adjust. Though he found comfort in that thought the presence of fangs still unnerved him slightly.

Seemingly of it's own accord his thumb swept across the other's full bottom lip, fingertip dragging along the flesh as they briefly skimmed over the razor sharp edges of those deadly teeth. Flinching in surprise when Jongdae curled his upper lip to display the fangs in all their glory, he didn't move at all besides that, just his hot breath fanning over Xiumin's skin, getting heavier the longer he sat there studying the other. From the way red was beginning to seep into the other's eyes once more it was clear the focused attention was having some kind of effect and Xiumin would be lying if it wasn't the tiniest bit mirrored on his own part. It wasn't his fault that the media portrayed vampires to be these irresistible creatures, masters of seduction. The image of Jongdae in front of him, eyes half lidded and breathing fully strained now, his jaw almost trembling slightly as his lips twitched with the occasional movement until Jongdae's control relented and it morphed into a slow and lazy smirk. Xiumin remembered that exact same tick happening whenever Chen had been desperate to kiss him, craving him so badly it made the other whisk him away back to the apartment as quickly as possible. Not even making it to the apartment on more than a few occasions.

Jongdae could feel it rolling off his fated in waves, the lust, starting off as innocent curiosity it had morphed into something so much heavier in such a short amount of time. Whether human biology actually allowed it or not Jongdae liked to think Xiumin was finally reacting to the pull of the bond. But the bond was something to be tested out thoroughly in all of its capacities much later down the line once all this had been dealt with. Meaning whatever was threatening to unfold now would need to be put on pause, so Jongdae turned his head slightly to press soft kisses to the other's open palm that was still cupping his jaw. Eventually he settled for blowing raspberries against the delicate skin, only stopping when faint laughter bubbled out of his boyfriend as he attempted to yank his hand free.

"Hey- ha- ha- no, n-no stop, that tickles!" Xiumin choked out as laughter spilled from his mouth. Though it died in his throat when he felt the tips of Jongdae's sharp teeth faintly scrape across his palm, all that struggled past his lips was a drawn out moan of a sigh. "No- no biting." Came wheezing out next, but his words carried little weight and they both knew it. It was such an alien experience to have the instinct to trust someone so blindly yet now it was dipped in this adrenaline inducing fear, every touch a shock to the system.

"I'm not going to bite you Xiumin, I can't, no matter how much I might want to I would quite literally have to be given your verbal permission- it's this whole consent aspect of the bond, I can't mark or claim you without your explicit say. I hope that brings you some level of comfort."

"I mean, if you're telling the truth then-"

"He is." A voice huffed out from somewhere in his apartment, and suddenly Xiumin was dragged back to the reality around him. With the two of them on the floor some of the claw marks and little nicks from his blades were now eye level. He was literally face to face with the remnants of the night before.

"So, will you come with me?" Xiumin noticed Jongdae was standing now, about a few meters away and stood in front of that alleged portal thing. He hadn't even noticed the other move. Sighing Xiumin countered with a frustrated, "You can't expect me to just blindly trust you! You won't tell me anything!"

"Xiumin soon enough its not going to be a fucking choice. I am not leaving you here, this place reeks of death and your blood- no matter how hard you scrub and clean I can smell it, we need to get you out of here before it attracts things you- not even we could take down unprepared." Jongdae growled, there was absolutely no chance in hell Xiumin was staying there another minute. Though apparently in the matter of a single day Jongdae had forgotten just how stubborn this human could be. "I don't fucking think so-"

"-Xiumin! I fully- fucking fully respect that you'll need time to adjust, and to deal with just everything that has gone on, but right now you don't really have much of a choice. You are coming home with me, whether you come willingly or I have to drag you there kicking and screaming is up to you. But I strongly suggest you don't test me." Jongdae ground out as he tightened his hold on Xiumin, patience wearing thin.

"Oh really? I shouldn't be testing mister big, bad vampire? Fuck off! I don't give a shit, quit trying to throw your weight around here like some tough guys- it's embarrassing to watch. Quite frankly I don't even know why I'm playing into your little alpha male games but I'll take the kicking and screaming option, truly I'd just like to see you try-"

"Right! That's enough of that!" Kyungsoo had been happy to just watch the little pissing match unfold, really, really seeing why Jongdae liked this human so much, but now it was entering dangerous territory. "Xiumin I get it, he's being an asshole, a gigantic asshole, and it is embarrassing but you still need to come with us, meanwhile he is going to go somewhere else- Jongin if you'd be so kind." Soft lips met his cheek with a quick kiss just as Jongdae was finally realising what the true plan was but it was too late. Both he and Jongin vanished within a single split second, nothing but the faint shifting of the curtains signalling they had moved. "So, after you Xiumin."

"I'm assuming there's no chance of negotiation with you is there, Kyungsoo?" Xiumin mumbled, torn between admiration and fear for the man standing in front of him.

Exhaling sharply through his nose Kyungsoo nodded before speaking, struggling not the smile the whole time. "You assume correctly, now, would you please step through the portal over there? I will walk through with you if you would prefer, or as Jongdae said before I can drag you through, but I doubt it will be as fun if I were to do it."

"What does it feel like, is it-"

"Lets just find out!" Kyungsoo yelled, feeling the apprehension seep out of every pore of the human's skin meaning there was no way he'd walk through voluntarily. So instead he darted forward knowing the human eye would struggle to pick up his movements and stood behind the other. Watching the strength of his grip he grabbed the little creature by its waist and picked it up, surprised by the weight momentarily he then quite literally picked Xiumin up and sped forwards once more until they were standing on solid ground back in Naihtwearld. The poor human must have blinked and missed it considering how rapidly he was spinning around on the spot to comprehend that he was in an entirely different location to where he was a mere second ago. It really didn't help when Tao burst forward from behind the light of the portal to investigate Kyungsoo's little tag-along. "Zitao don't you'll scare him!" Kyungsoo desperately tried to warn but Tao was too late and already squealing as he ducked from one of Xiumin's punches that may actually do a shred of damage if he could land one. "Xiumin wait! This is Tao, he's Jongdae's youngest brother!"

"Tell him to back the fuck off then!" Xiumin screeched as he uselessly backpedaled away from the person in question.

"Tao come on, have some mercy, the poor thing had to kill a Draefend last night, he didn't know about any of this until this morning." The elder vampire tiredly tried to reason and it seemed to sink in because thankfully the energetic little gremlin came to halt beside him, but that didn't mean Tao couldn't still cause trouble.

"Oh I know, he did very well too- I have many questions for him though, his past is hidden even to me- many many questions for you little human, but he will accept it all soon, I have seen it." Zitao summerised, rapidly looking between his brother and the stranger. "What? Oh! Right! How rude of me! I'm Zitao! I'm a descendant of Orleahta, um, the closest human phenomenon you could relate my powers to would be that of a seer, or a psychic's, so, seeing the past and future and things such as that."

"Tao you don't need to be so formal, he's Jongdae's fated not a friend of your mother's." Kyungsoo groaned, not likely the wide eyed look of 'what the actual fuck' clearly plastered on Xiumin's face.

"Right, um, yeah, I think I going to leave that can of worms well alone for now, and for my past trust me I know as much as you do, I was adopted, so..."

"Oh fascinating! This makes it even more fun!" Tao squealed, but reigned himself in after a scolding look was sent his way. "But for later, once we have got you settled and sorted out. For now we can answer any questions you may have, but besides that, welcome to a Naihtwearld, I think Kyungsoo would be best for the tour, it is his home after all." He began approaching the poor little lamb but still he backed away from him.

From what Xiumin could see the place he was in was not all that different to a 'human' home, four walls, a large front door, windows, some stairs and a few corridors leading off to different areas of the house. Pictures and paintings -though far more extravagant- still adorned the walls, various furniture filled the room and he was fairly sure he could see a kitchen of sorts through an open door. Nothing that out of the ordinary yet besides the grandeur of everything. It looked as if someone had tried to keep things simple but still used ridiculously expensive elements. Take the small love seats that dotted the space, well worn and seemingly moulded to the shape of their inhabitants but still looking as if they were made of the softest velvet. A large wooden table sat central to the room, as well as smaller ones standing next to each love seat, all of them scuffed and covered in various stray papers and books, the tell tale rings of forgotten cups almost bleached onto the surface of the wood too. But still carved with the most mind blowing detail and precision, rivers of gold coursing through each leg too. Even though it was not needed considering one entire wall of the possible living room of Kyungsoo's home was a massive window there was still a magnificent lighting fixture hanging above him. Jewels glistening with the endless natural light thus making it look as if the chandelier was moving of its own accord, swaying in time with the rhythm of the thousands of trees visible from the window as their branches rustled in the wind. So there were still trees, and grass, and a blue sky outside too.

But what unnerved him by far was the scent clinging to Zitao's skin. It reminded him so vividly of that one yesterday, not necessarily in scent, but in the pressure in his head. Building and building until it morphed into a feeling akin to a word being right on the tip of your tongue, like Xiumin had forgotten something but had no idea what. It wasn't as sweet this time, but so much more familiar to him, those same flowers but older, warmer and comforting. But then it quickly soured, turning to burning smoke just like the other did and it made his eyes water. Thankfully it was much less potent this time, not truly emanating from Tao but rather clinging to his skin. "You uh, you smell weird, and it's making my head hurt, so, uh- sorry I guess but I'll be staying over here."

"I hate to play the species card this early on Xiumin but I highly doubt that. If there was anything on Tao that would cause you any discomfort surely I would be able to smell it too?" Kyungsoo tried to reason, not understanding what was causing the human to act this way but he could certainly tell he wasn't faking it.

"Don't fear little lamb I'm not offended- much." Ground out Tao as he forced a smile on his face, halting his advances towards the human.

"It's not you! Really it's not, it's something on you, it's like layered on top of what you smell like, its making my head hurt, I know its probably not real but there's this thing among humans called a sixth sense? Its the thing we kinda debate over whether its like real or not, but its this pure kind of deep down instinct we get sometimes in certain situations and it just tells us to get out- to run basically. I smelled something before that thing came into my apartment and I felt the exact same as I do now- it's just making me a little uneasy that's all."

"Ah we've heard of this! No this is actually true, but I'm really not sure what is making you feel like that-"

"I'm wearing Yifan's clothes?" Tao tried, "Maybe it's that he can smell, I can feel the strangest and faintest link between you and him, maybe thousands of years ago he had something to do with your family. We aren't proud of a lot of our histroy of when we first discovered we could travel from our world to yours." Both he and Kyungsoo shared a look after he had spoken, silently agreeing that tonight was not the night for that conversation. "Yifan is probably on his way here now-"

"Don't let him near me! Please, I'm sorry- I'm sorry but please can I be somewhere else, I don't know how to explain it." Normally his pride would never let him beg but Xiumin felt it within him, that if he saw this person something seriously bad would happen.

"You're just nervous about another vampire being here Xiumin, it'll be okay, Yifan has known Jongdae the longest, he was there when Dae thought you were dead, he knows how much you mean to his brother."

"Kyungsoo listen to me, I have been through something no human should have to and I'm still here, I killed god knows what last night, I- I stabbed, and shot, beat them and slit their throat if you could even call it a throat, tore their arms and legs off, literally anything I could do to survive, but now, right here and now I am scared, you may not feel fear anymore considering you're practically gods among men but we still do, and we've learnt the hard way that we need to trust it sometimes, no matter how stupid it seems." His voice was even as he spoke but his hands trembled even when he curled them into fists at his sides, everything within him was screaming at his to run. Body too jumped up on adrenaline and paranoid thoughts to remain still for a second longer.

Both vampires were bewildered for a brief second before Kyungsoo felt Yifan gently touch down on the ground near the perimeter of his property. Knowing full well Kyungsoo hated it when it he flew in unannounced, taking advantage of his aerial blindness. But for once he couldn't be more thankful for it, because it gave him enough time to shout, "Third floor, there's a second set of stairs at the end of that corridor, then the corridor on your left and the second door down. Big white doors, its the guest room Jongdae prefers. Just sit tight there." The human only hugged him briefly in thanks before darting off, but the thundering heartbeat filling Kyungsoo's ears was more than enough to let him know the calm exterior was only for show. Now he had to hold up his end of the bargain and keep Yifan downstairs.

*

While the rest of the house passed him in a blur Xiumin could truly say that this room was beautiful, he could see exactly why it was Jongdae's favourite. As the doors clicked shut behind him and the oxygen finally returned to his lungs he just stood and stared. There was an obscene but oh so welcome huge four poster bed in the center of the room, various plush fabrics covering what he would like to assume was just a normal duvet. It seemed like some kind of memory foam, only impossibly more intuitive as he eased himself onto the edge of it with his newfounded legs of jelly. The mattress seemed to predict the movements of his body, the foam material receding from behind him a slow pull until his body was gently falling backwards through no effort of his own. Jongdae must have been the last person to inhabit this room because as he rolled amidst the sheets his boyfriend's natural scent was all he could smell. It made him feel safe in the most alien of worlds, if it was even possible to happen. But truthfully Xiumin wasn't sure what was possible at this point any more. The blur between legend and reality was distorted to him, and he doubted it would ever return to normal now. The weight of the decisions he would soon have to make were a building pressure on his heart, Xiumin didn't want to leave Chen or Jongdae or whoever his boyfriend was now but he couldn't possibly know what might happen if he stayed. Would he even have a place in this world? A life?

To begin with it seemed like Jongdae had wanted to keep the two lives separate if the lies were anything to go by, but as weary eyes scanned the room Xiumin couldn't help but smile. Photos that he had printed out at a little shop in the town center were either framed around the room or just pinned onto the wardrobe door. Some he didn't even recognise, mostly candid shots of him that Jongdae must have taken in secret. There was one of him leaning his forehead against the train window lost deep in thought, another of him sleeping shirtless as the sun streamed in, another of him serving a customer at the cafe. His clothes littered the place too, not the ones he had somewhat stripped off before actually settling in the bed but ones he had leant Jongdae only to never have them return. At least he knew where they all ended up now. Sitting up he scanned the room once more noticing so many other remnants of 'Chen' in Jongdae's room, he began wrapping the covers up around his bare back to shield him from the chill beginning to settle in the air. But the thoughts of his various wounds flashed into the forefront of his mind and Xiumin knew he needed to tend to himself before he could fall asleep. Just as quickly as the thought entered his mind Tao burst through the doors with a surprising lack of sound and announced "The ensuite is in through the door in the far corner- yes I know you just thought it was an alcove with a cupboard but no no, it's a bathroom, go ahead!"

"Jesus fucking Christ!" Xiumin formed his lips into a small ring and forcefully exhaled his panicked intake of breath back out again, slowly and evenly. "You sure you're not telepathic? I hadn't even got up to look for the bathroom yet."

"Didn't have to, I knew you were about to. How are you feeling? I see you've made yourself at home under there."

God Xiumin felt like a child being told off by his nanny or something just as equally mortifying at his age. "I'm sorry." He mumbled as he extracted himself from the bed, Kyungsoo insisting that he was more than welcome too the whole time. "You uh, don't smell weird anymore?" Xiumin stated as bare feet slapped onto the wooden flooring, though it came out like more of a question in the end.

"I borrowed some of Kyungsoo's clothes, a tad small and boring but it is a price I shall pay for the comfort of my new brother- if that is what you so wish after all, there is no pressure for you to stay here or accept Jongdae's proposal. Ah ah ah! Before you even say it, yes, you must stay here until we have figured out who was hunting you and why, but after that the choice is yours. It is dangerous for you to not be with us, though I'm highly confused as to how you survived the entire night without so much as a bruise in the least. Full of surprises aren't you little brother! Oh! I won't be the youngest anymore!"

_New brother? A proposal? Who is hunting me, not what? There's a who behind it? Unharmed?_ So, so very many things for Xiumin to un-box with that one, and none of them he wanted to go anywhere near truthfully, so he picked hopefully the least alarming one. "You're joking about walking away scott-free aren't you? I know these probably don't even count as injuries to you but humans are far more delicate, these things kinda hurt, a lot."

"No I'm agreeing with him Xiumin, I can't see a single thing on you?" Kyungsoo said, raising his tone in confusion. Watching with vague interest as Xiumin bounded across the room to inspect himself in the full length mirror that dominated the middle pane of the wardrobe door. Mouth hanging agape immediately after doing so.

"That's not real- that's not what I look like! What- that's not even close? I think I'm- like we're seeing things, it's one of those shared hallucination things!" Xiumin spat out in disbelief as he walked into the adjoining bathroom, the mirror was showing his body perfectly unscathed but by his own eyes he could still see exactly how damaged he had become. Immediately sliding his ring free from his finger he then removed his shirt to splash cold water over his face and neck but it did nothing to wake him from the illusion, it did however clean off some of the remaining grime on his skin. No matter how much he scrubbed Xiumin never quite felt clean after the events of last night, and as the dirty brown water dripped over the marble he sink he knew why. The blood and dirt was practically buried in his skin now, he was sweating out a second wave of the vile filth. But that's not what he was supposed to be focusing on. So with a repetitive movements Xiumin would cup a hand underneath the flow of the tap before bringing that same hand to whatever cut or scrape he could find, washing each one with a careful touch. The deep ones he knew he had to be rougher with, but that didn't mean Xiumin had to like it. With baited breath he began undressing the wounds on his upper arm, by far the worst he had gained throughout the entire night, his mind instantly returning to the nightmarish thing spluttering on his floor as it died. The gash ran about two thirds of the way from his shoulder to his elbow, its deepest towards his upper arm where the bone first pierced him and it gradually got shallower as the claw was dragged downwards during the fight. He swore from just looking at the thing, it was going to be a real bitch to keep clean and there was no way he wouldn't need stitches for it.

"Xiumin are you alright?" Kyungsoo called out worriedly, he'd spent the last few minutes berating Tao on what information the human was really not quite ready for yet.

"- So you're telling me you can't see this?!" Xiumin exclaimed as he stormed out of the bathroom, almost thrusting his still faintly bleeding arm towards the two men. Which in retrospect probably wasn't a good idea considering exactly what his so called new 'family' were, they might say the didn't drink human blood anymore but Xiumin knew that that belief had to have stemmed from some truth.

"Oh Deorcness neoðan! How could we not see it before?" It wasn't exactly often a vampire was caught off guard, but even Tao, with the craeft of future sight seemed stunned.

"It's the ring. I can feel it even now, it's protecting him, disguising him from us." Tao spat, "Where did you get it?"

"It's a family ring, from my biological family- I don't know anything about them, they're dead as far as I know-"

"I'll ask again where-"

"Zitao! Focus on the matter at hand, the human is bleeding, we need to take care of him- of Jongdae's fated. He does not know anything at all Tao listen to him, we just won't go near the thing until maybe Junmyeon has come in to look at it." Kyungsoo ground out, his hand squeezing Tao's wrist to the point of pain, and when he heard bones beginning to splinter under his palm he kept on going until the other relented. Tao was still a child to them, still not in full control of his craeft meaning that he still let emotions and his own thoughts cloud what he saw. Meaning that the future he was projecting right now, based on the suspicious that Xiumin possessed some kind of hunter ancestry it was most likely setting the hot headed idiot on edge. Very much unable to separate his own predictions from what his ability truly wanted him to see.

"I can clean up most of them you'll just have to help me with my back? If that's not too much trouble?" There was a tension in the room, stifling in fact but Xiumin has no idea what had caused it to appear. It suddenly made him remember that he was a guest, a stranger in this home, no this entire world. Externally he was fine, but his mentality was beginning to crumble. "No that's no trouble at all." Tao had said, and his smile was enough to ease the anxiety building within him. For the most part they worked in silence, all rubbing at the wounds with that he assumed was disinfectant. It sure burned the very hairs from his nose like the ones back home did so he must have been guessing right. The most they could do for the mangled gash in his arm was use steritape to close the flesh together again even temporarily, there were mumbles of stitches being done when another one of their brothers joined them. After being thoroughly cleaned and patched up Xiumin wandered over to the chair and slipped on his own shirt and sweatpants, grinning to himself when they smelt of Jongdae.

"He wears them all the time you know, when he's here I mean- he can't really wear them in his own home with his family because he hasn't announced he's found his fated yet so he spends a lot of time here because it's just us, no prying eyes here. Like it's borderline obsessive how much he loves them. When he'd just found out that we were going to Earth to get you, well to collect your body, he just went on and on about all the things he was going to take from your apartment because he never wanted to forget you. He was like a bird building a nest, he just wanted to surround himself with you." Tao rattled off with, watching the human take an account of all his possessions already in the room.

"He thought I was dead?" Xiumin whispered in shock, he remembered his phone falling to the floor but by that point he was more than a little otherwise occupied.

"Yeah, the line on the phone went dead after you told him you loved him, he went haywire and destroyed an entire house near enough- but, I'm getting ahead of myself, the existence of vampires alone and portals is more than enough for one day, we'll talk about Jongdae's craeft some other day. Right now you need to go to bed, do you want us in the room until you fall asleep? Jongdae wouldn't let go of us the whole night when he thought you'd died. He's never been a cuddler as long as we've known him, but that night he just felt really lost and alone- similar to what I imagine you're feeling, I'm sorry if we haven't been the best hosts, we forget this is all new to you."

"I think I'd rather have you in here than Jongdae for the time being so if you wouldn't mind, but you haven't been that bad at all, I probably look perfectly normal- like I'm just taking everything in my stride and dealing with it, so I don't blame you." Xiumin grimaced as he spoke, all three of their faces turning sour with the awkward atmosphere, but he was thankful they had apologised and recognised their innocent mistake. "But like, for real? Never been a cuddler? Not a cuddler my ass! He would cling to me like a freaking koala, he wouldn't even let me roll over!..."

And thus began an exchange of secrets and stories, starting with the napkins in the cafe, how Jongdae got so distracted by them holding hands that he ate garlic and nearly died afterwards then every other story he could think of. Kyungsoo and Tao eagerly listened to every story that the human told, grinning as they now had an unlimited amount of topics to tease Jongdae about. The boy began nodding off half way through a story but he seemed both unaware of how much he was yawning and determined to finish the story, both vampires laughing under their breath when Xiumin would pause in between speaking for at least a few seconds as he finally succumbed to sleep.

"and that's how- that's how Chen ended up...being caught, by uh my landlord, in these- um, god, what was it? Ah! Women's underwear...yeah, bright red...I couldn't stop laughing for hours after, even cried..."

*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Sorry this took a little longer than usual to come out but at least its a pretty hefty chapter to make up for it! Not much Xiuchen here so I'm sorry about that but we're getting to see other characters more so yay! Plus I'm ngl it gets quite annoying when people exclusively write Tao as some bratty childish idiot, so I actually spent quite a lot of time thinking about how I wanted to portray him, there's still elements of that childishness in his over-eagerness and slight disregard of other peoples feelings but yeah, he's not a main main character (YET) but I'm still pretty happy. Anyways! Thank you so much for reading, as always comments and kudos are so very much appreciated and loved, so let me know what you guys thought of this one down below!x
> 
> ************************************************************************************************************************  
> Things:  
> Craeft = magic/ a person's abilities, Draefend = a creature that's sole purpose is to kill the person the caster desires, Deorcness neoðan = 'darkness below', similar to how we say oh heavens above in exclamation of shock.
> 
> Places:  
> Naihtweard = general name for the vampiric domain in the alternate realm.
> 
> Origins:  
> Descendant of _______ = the concept that the person is a descendant of the former royal families, the _____ indicates the bloodline/person that the character and subsequently their powers also come from.
> 
> Orleahta = possesses a craeft closely linked to manipulating time, the ability of foresight, and the mastery of the dimensions.


End file.
